


Always Yours

by kpowd20



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 78,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24374707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kpowd20/pseuds/kpowd20
Summary: Josie and Penelope's history has not always been picture perfect. When Penelope leaves for Belgium, Josie is left to recover from her heartbreak alone. Will their love prevail and withstand the test of time?
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 15
Kudos: 74





	1. I Need to Fix This/Hey Lovebirds/Only If I'm Going Home With You

Josie POV-  
Penelope left the school about two months ago. Lizzie and I made up partially but we are still distant. She at least stopped trying to get me to leave our room. If I’m not staring off into space in the couple of classes I go to, I am laying in my bed with headphones in listening to Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer with the blinds shut. I can’t sleep at night easily so I always sneak out after Lizzie falls asleep. I walk out to the Old Mill and go for a run or box in the gym before being able to collapse from exhaustion.   
“Josie, come on. You need to go to class.” Lizzie sits down on the edge of my bed and places her hand onto my leg over the covers. “Come on, Jo.” I keep my eyes shut tight in fear of her seeing a tear escape my eyes. It has been exactly two months since Penelope left. Eventually, she stands up and walks out of our room. I release the shaky breath I was holding as I wrap my arms around myself. A quiet knock breaks through the silence after a couple of minutes.  
The door clicks open as Hope walks in. “Hey Jo, Lizzie said you didn’t want to come to class today.” Hope sits down next to my head and pulls me into her lap like she has done every day for the past two months. She starts to run her fingers through my hair. “It’s going to be okay, Jo. Everything will work out.” I nod ever so slightly to acknowledge her comment. We sit there in silence until I manage to fall asleep.   
Hope POV-  
I have been checking up on Josie every day since Penelope left. She is really taking her leaving hard. They might not have been together when Penelope left for Belgium but it doesn’t mean either of them stopped loving the other. Josie finally fell asleep in my lap so I pull out my phone. I assumed that Josie would have started to get better by now but I was wrong. “You did it. You finally broke her.” I send the text to Penelope. We were never super close friends but we got closer before she left. My phone buzzes from a text. “What do you mean?” We’ve texted a little bit since she left but very little about Josie knowing it’s a sensitive subject to approach. I carefully slide out from under Josie and quietly step back to take a picture of her curled up with Penelope’s old hoodie. The bags under her eyes are very prominent as are her red cheeks stained with tears. I send the picture to Penelope. I leave the twin’s room right as my phone begins to buzz with a call.   
Penelope POV-  
Hope sends me a picture of Josie sleeping. She looks exhausted and she’s holding onto my old hoodie I gave her after she got drunk and spent the night like her life depends on it. I pull up Hope’s contact and hit call. It rings a couple of times before she picks up. “Hey Pen, let me get further down the hall. One second.” I wait listening as Hope passes other students. Eventually, it quiets down. “What the fuck is going on, Hope?” I get up from my new bed and begin to pace circles in my room. “Well, as you could see. You broke her. Why did you even leave again?” Her voice is protective. Josie is her best friend. She only wants the best for her. “I told you. I needed away from everything. I won’t stay there and watch as Lizzie continues to slowly kill her, Hope. I can’t. If this continues, Josie will just lose for Lizzie in the merge. I’ll lose her. And,” My voice breaks a little. I try to let out a small cough to try and hide it before continuing. “I can’t lose her, Hope.”   
There is a pause as Hope composes her words. She lets out a sigh before speaking. “You are losing her because you left. She needs you right now. More than ever and you decided that you should walk away. Did you ever think about what she wants or how your decisions affect her? Because I am seeing the effects right now. And honestly, I am concerned for how this will end. Because her will to live is nonexistent right now, Park. So, fix this.” And with that she hangs up the phone on me. I stop pacing. I sit down on the edge of my bed clutching my phone tightly before chucking it across the room. It smacks into my closet door and falls to the ground. My head falls into my hands as I finally release the tears and emotions I have been holding in for two long months that I have been pushing down. I thought that coming to Belgium with my Mom would fix things. Would force Josie to see that Lizzie is draining her but all it did was hurt my girl. The love of my life. Fuck. I need to fix this.   
Hope POV-  
I make my way towards my next class after hanging up on Penelope. She needed to hear what I had to say. I spot Lizzie and walk over to update her. “Hey, how was Jo today when you saw her?” I have never seen Lizzie so concerned for anyone in her life. Penelope leaving created a change. “I held her until she fell asleep then I talked to Penelope.” Lizzie wasn’t expecting this response. “Wait, you talked to her? What did she say?” She takes my arm and drags me into an empty classroom to talk. “Long story short, I told her she needed to fix this because she knows she fucked up.” Lizzie nods her head deep in thought. “I hope she can.”  
Penelope POV-  
I fall back onto my bed and will the tears to stop. Mom will be home soon and I don’t want to worry her. I pull open my computer and turn on Spotify. I look over to my friends tab and see that Josie is still listening to Amnesia. I grab my headphones and plug them into my computer. I had meant to listen to the lyrics a couple of days ago when I noticed her listening to it but got side tracked. Why has she listened to this song so much?   
“It's like we never happened, was it just a lie? If what we had was real, how could you be fine? ‘Cause I’m not fine at all.” My breathing starts to get heavier the more I listen. “I wish that I could wake up with amnesia and forget about the stupid little things. Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you and the memories I never can escape.” I slam my computer shut and rip the headphones of my ears pulling my knees to my chest. I can feel my heart beating in my head. I try to take a deep breath but feel like I can’t suck in enough oxygen. I close my eyes and put my head between my legs and try to focus on the texture of my comforter and the sounds I hear around me to help ground myself. This is the fourth panic attack I’ve had since getting here. After a couple of minutes, I finally gain control back over my body and calm my breathing. Once the pulsating stops in my head, I change into sweats and rush out the front door taking off at a full sprint.   
My coping mechanism has been running. I’ve been running every day since I left Josie. When I get back to the house, I have sweat through my entire shirt and shorts. I am drenched. I walk into the kitchen to find Mom cooking dinner as I grab a water bottle. “What were you running from today?” Mom continues chopping vegetables not lifting her head to even look at me. “Um, nothing. Just wanted to run.” This is when she stops. She places the knife down on the cutting board and steps back resting against the counter. She always knows when I am lying. I attempt to break the eye contact but Mom stops me. “It has been two months, are you still thinking about Josie?” I look down to the ground at my shoes and nod. “Is she thinking about you?” I nod again. “Then why are you still here in Belgium?” I lift my head, confused at her comment. “What do you mean?” A small smile breaks out on Mom’s face. “You are head over heels for this girl. You left to try and move on and it is not working. I don’t think it ever will. I have seen how happy she makes you. Whatever your reason was for leaving, I believe you can fix it together. So I will ask you again, why are you still in Belgium with me? I will be fine here without you, Penelope. You can go home.” I screw the cap back onto my water bottle before setting it down on the counter. I can go back to my girl. Nothing is keeping me here. “Thank you, Mom.” I rush out of my room and begin to pack.   
Hope POV-  
Lizzie and I are eating dinner that night when I receive a text from Penelope. “I’ll be there tomorrow. Please ask Lizzie to find somewhere else to be. Maybe tell Alaric too.” Lizzie leans closer to read over my shoulder. “Oh my god, she’s coming back? That is great!” I text back quickly. “Will do, see you soon.” I turn to Lizzie. “You are welcome to spend the night with me tomorrow.” She turns to face me as she pulls me into a hug. “Thanks, Hope.”   
Josie POV-  
Lizzie returns from dinner a little more excited than usual but she doesn’t say anything. She gets ready for bed and turns off the light. I decide to change up my routine a little tonight. Once I can hear Lizzie’s light snores, I head to the gym to box some. I wrap my hands and hit the bag until I can’t feel then any more. When I take off the wraps about an hour later, I notice I split a couple of my knuckles but I couldn’t even feel it. They are covered in blood. I walk into the gym bathroom and do my best to wash off the blood before returning to my room. I physically can’t stay awake any longer. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow for the first time in weeks.   
Penelope POV-  
After my conversation with Mom, I packed my stuff up and booked a flight back to Virginia. I should be able to get back to the school by tomorrow night. “Alright honey, keep me posted. And I expect weekly calls!” I pull my suitcases out of the back of Mom’s car. She pulls me into a tight hug. “I love you Penelope. Be safe and say hi to Josie for me.” Mom lets go of me after I respond. “I love you, too. I will tell her.” I shoot her a smile before grabbing my bags and walking into the airport.   
The flight took forever. I tried to stay awake for most of it but I fell asleep a couple of times. I want to adjust back to this time zone hopefully quicker than I did when I first got to Belgium. Alaric called for a car that was waiting for me outside of baggage claim. I look down to my phone. “8:32.” Perfect timing. Lizzie should be out of their room so I can talk to Josie.   
When we pull up the school, Hope and Lizzie are waiting for me. “Hey P, glad you are back.” Hope pulls me into a hug. Lizzie starts to speak as Hope steps back. “We can get your bags, and put them in your room. Go see Josie.” I mumble a quiet thank you before jogging inside and up the stairs leading to their room. I don’t bother to knock but instead choose to carefully open the door. Josie is laying on her side with her headphones in. She can’t see me from this angle. I shut the door behind me and walk over to my side of Josie’s bed. The side she still leaves empty. I lower myself down next to Josie and wrap my arm across her stomach. She opens her eyes to look down at the arm now holding her. Josie leans her head back to see me. “Pen?” Tears begin to flood her eyes. “Hey JoJo.” She flips over and buries her face into my chest wrapping her arms around my torso. I pull her as close as possible when I roll to my back so that she is laying on top of me. I let her get it all out. When the tears stop running down her cheeks, she lifts her head to look at me. “Why are you here? I, I thought you were in Belgium.” She lifts her hand and grazes it across my cheek like she used to do. “You. You are why I am here. I made a mistake leaving you and I am sorry that I hurt you this much. It was never my intention.” Josie releases an airy laugh. “I don’t think I have ever heard you admit you made a mistake, but we both know this was my fault.” I remove one of my hands from her back and lightly jab her side eliciting the cutest squeal from her lips. A serious look crosses her face as she hesitates to speak. If her face wasn’t inches from mine I wouldn’t have heard her. “Are you going to leave me again?” Her words break my heart. I did this to her. Hope was right, what I did. It broke her. “I love you, JoJo. I will never leave you again. I promise.” A smile fills Josie’s face as she leans forward and closes the distance. Oh how much I missed her lips on mine. She pulls away to speak but I am still in shock. It takes me a second to open my eyes. Josie winks at me before leaning down to whisper in my ear. “I love you too, Pen.”

Penelope POV-  
Josie fell asleep with her body curled into me. My right hand is interlocked with her left as it rests on the bed. Her breathing finally settles as she falls asleep. I can’t help but watch her sleep. The moon light filtering through her window is lighting up our hands. Her knuckles have something on them. I rotate our hands to see that there are cuts where it looks like her knuckles split. I rub my thumb across them. I’ll have to ask her about these when she wakes up.   
This time zone is still messing me up a little bit. I grab my phone off the side table and see that it is 3:14 am. Fuck. At least Josie is sleeping. I know I wasn’t sleeping great since I left but I at least was sleeping. Josie was only sleeping due to total and utter exhaustion induced by crying. I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling hoping for sleep.   
Josie begins to stir a little in my arms as her eyes flutter open. “Pen, why are you awake?” I’m surprised she woke up at all. “Time zone still has me messed up.” I rub my thumb over the cuts on her knuckles again as she nuzzles her head against me. “Jo, why do you have these cuts on your hands?” I look down to see her reaction. “I boxed last night.” Her voice is quiet. I rub my left hand up and down her back trying to encourage her to speak. “I was wearing wraps but they still split.” She lifts her head and places her chin on my chest to look at me. “JoJo, be more careful okay? But please let me watch next time.” I wink at Josie who in turn blushes up at me. “Deal.” She places her head back down against my chest.  
FLASHBACK  
Josie POV-  
“Don’t do that. Don’t stand there and act like you care. You broke my heart and all you can say is sorry?” Penelope takes a step closer to me. “Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I only want the best for you but you won’t stand against Lizzie. All she ever does is use you. I just want you to fight for yourself. For us.” I place my hand on my doorframe to steady myself. My head is beginning to spin. “I don’t need you to protect me. I just need the pain to stop. Please, just let me go.” I reach my hand up and place it against the side of my head. “JoJo,” I step back and shut the door. I somehow manage to lock it before pressing my back against it. I slide down to the floor and pull my knees to my chest attempting to mute the whimpers threatening to burst out of my mouth.   
Penelope POV-  
Josie closes her door on me. I lean forward placing my forehead and hands on the door. I mumble to myself. “Anything for you.” It is getting harder and harder to catch my breath. My throat is on fire as I try to push air into my lungs. Why did I break up with her? This is all my fault. I step back and stare at her door like I expected it to open. I eventually will my body to leave as a silent tears falls and hits the ground.   
I did exactly what she asked. I kept my distance. I knew her schedule so I avoided her routes. If I saw her, I’d turn the corner and be gone before she noticed. I don’t want to make her life more difficult. I do my best but my heart belongs to her and it aches in her absence.  
I head out to the dock during dinner to avoid the cafeteria. The lake is frozen over but the view is still breath taking. I sit down and hang my feet over the edge of the wood. I’m only in a light hoodie and jeans that I changed into so I can feel the temperature dropping. I close my eyes and try to focus my heat to the center of my body to warm up but it is a chilly night.  
I hear a creak as someone steps on the dock behind me. I feel a jacket being placed over my shoulders as Hope sits down next to me. “Did you eat tonight?” She scoots close to me to share her radiating body heat. I shake my head no. I don’t trust my voice to not sound broken. “Come on, Josie and Lizzie already left,” she grabs my hand pulling me up towards her. “You have been out here long enough to reach peak numbness.”  
The cafeteria has cleared out since the kitchen staff stops serving dinner soon. Hope watches me grab a tray of food and sits down across from me at one of the corner tables. “Have you talked to her since?” Hope trails off as she speaks. We both know what event she is referencing. “She asked me to let her go. That’s what I am doing. I am fine.” I push my food around my plate not feeling extremely hungry. Hope and I sit in silence until I lift my head to look at her. “I’m going to go for a run.” She nods her head at me before I stand up and walk away from her. I turn down the hallway towards my room and change into sweat pants before heading out into the woods to run.   
I have run in these woods plenty of times. The steady hit of my feet against the ground is soothing. I make it to the boundary line of the Salvatore property when I feel it. I look down to see a hole in my grey shirt turning dark red. I gasp for air as I lift my hand to cover my wound. I collapse to my knees, a yelp escapes my lips. I try to focus on the ground in front of me but black spots are invading my vision. I lift my head at the last second to see a figure rushing towards me before my eyes roll to the back of my head.   
I begin to stir as I hear the steady beeping of my heart rate on the monitor. I open my eyes to see Hope sitting in a chair across the room. Her arms are folded across her chest and her head is leaned back against the wall. I believe this is our infirmary at the school but I am not 100% sure. “Hope,” I can’t get the word out very loudly. “Hope.” Her head shoots off the wall. She locks her eyes on me before she relaxes. “Hey P, how is the pain? You’ve been in and out of consciousness. Do you remember what happened?” She stands up and walks over to me. “I know I was running. I reached the fence and,” I try to concentrate, to remember more. “That’s it.” She nods her head slowly. “Well, I followed you to make sure you were alright and then you were shot.” I shoot Hope a look like she has three heads.  
Josie walks into the room carrying some food and coffee. “Oh my gosh, Pen, you’re awake.” She sets the stuff on the table then stands opposite of Hope. She places her hands on my bed but not close enough to touch me. “Jo? Why are you here?” My voice is still raspy but there is a gentleness to it that is always there when I talk to Josie. Hope steps away from my bed and makes her way towards the door. “I’ll come check on you in a little bit, P.” I nod my head at her as she leaves.  
Josie messes with the blanket under her finger tips. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Hope told me what happened.” I don’t know if it is the pain medication in my system or if I hit my head but Josie Saltzman is talking to me for the first time in weeks. I must be hallucinating. “If I knew getting shot would get you to talk to me, I would have tried it weeks ago.” I let out a small laugh but instantly regret it. “Ow, fuck.” I reach down and place my hand against the bandage. I know my face is radiating a pained expression but anyone who saw us would think she is in more pain than me by the look on her face.   
“Jo, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” She grabs my hand and interlocks our fingers. Josie nods her head slowly and looks down at our hands. “You were right. I need to stand up for myself but you know, you don’t need to avoid me.” A small smile plays on her lips. “Yeah well, I was trying to make it easier on you.” Neither one of us is saying what we really want to. I take a deep breath of air causing me to gasp in pain. “Jo,” I grit my teeth and force those three little words out that have been circling in my head. “I love you.” I squeeze her hand until the pain subsides. Josie gives my hand a quick squeeze back when I finally loosen my grip. “I love you, too.”  
END OF FLASHBACK  
Penelope POV-  
It has been months since I was shot. I lift up my shirt to see the scar on my torso. I run my fingertips over it slowly. This was the start of us getting closer again. Even though it hurt a lot, I’d take this bullet again and again to keep her in my arms. I carefully slide out from under Josie’s grip and throw on one of her hoodies before walking out of the room.   
Josie POV-  
I reach my hand out to Penelope’s side of the bed and only feel sheets. “Pen?” I open my eyes and shoot up. Did I imagine her coming back? It felt so real. My heart is racing. My door begins to open as Penelope walks in with two cups of coffee. “Hey JoJo, I got us some caffeine.” I scoot over as she sits down on her side of the bed. I immediately throw my arms around her neck. My voice is muffled as I speak. “I thought I dreamed you here.” Penelope sets the coffee down on the side table before wrapping her own arms around me. “I’m here Jo, I’m not going anywhere.” I release my grip on her neck and reach behind her for my coffee. “So, you didn’t miss me. You missed me bringing you coffee. I see how it is.” Penelope grabs her own coffee and pecks my forehead with her signature smile crossing her face. I decide to try and match her sarcasm. I set my coffee cup in my lap then place my hand behind her neck pulling her closer to me. “Yep, you have me all figured out don’t you, Penny?” She meets me halfway. I missed this so much.  
Penelope shifts to lay her back against my headboard as I sit up next to her. We sit there sipping our coffee and enjoying each other’s company until Lizzie comes barging into the room with her hand covering her eyes. “Are you both dressed?” I look to Penelope as we both respond at the same time. “No.” “Yes.” I smack her leg with my hand. “Yes, Lizzie we are dressed.” She slowly drops her hand as Penelope continues to laugh. Hope walks in after Lizzie. “Hey lovebirds, how was your night?” Hope sits on the edge of my bed as Lizzie rummages around in her dresser. Penelope looks to me to answer. “It was emotional but we are good.” She reaches over and interlocks her hand with mine. “Thank god, now I don’t need to come check on you every day.” Hope begins to laugh as I put on a huge pouty face. I lean into Penelope as she kisses the side of my head. She leans back from me and turns to Hope. “Thank you for taking care of my girl while I was gone.” I give her hand a quick squeeze as Hope answers. “Always.”  
Penelope POV-  
Lizzie and Hope leave the room once Lizzie finds the shirt she was looking for. When the door clicks shut, I turn to Josie. “Want to go for a run?” I set my empty coffee cup down on the table next to me. “Right now? It is still morning.” I nod my head and smile at how cute she is hiding in my shoulder. Josie has never been much of a morning person. She mumbles into my shirt. “I just need to change.” She takes a last sip of coffee before getting up and walking over to her dresser.   
“What are you thinking?” Josie is standing in her sports bra and sweatpants looking at me. “I just missed this. And,” I stand up off the bed and walk over to her. I place my hands on her hips pulling her into me. “You are beautiful.” She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me to her. I will never get tired of this.  
We stop by my room so I can change into sweats too before we head out to the woods. Ever since I was shot, I tend to avoid the fence line. We still don’t know exactly what happened that night. We assume there was probably a hunter who mistakenly shot me, realized their mistake, and ran. I try not to hold a grudge. Josie and I run around the lake, the garden, and then end up at the Old Mill.

FLASHBACK  
Josie POV-  
The wolves are throwing a party at the Old Mill tonight. “Josie, you are going.” She drags me out of my bed to get ready for school. “Why can’t I be a homebody?” Lizzie just scoffs and rolls her eyes at me. “Because you have me as a sister.” We head downstairs and find MG and Hope sitting at a table eating breakfast. “Hey girls.” I sit down next to Hope as Lizzie sits next to MG.  
It has been about two weeks since Penelope was released from the infirmary for her gunshot wound. They wanted to make sure it wouldn’t get infected. I now see her more because I told her she didn’t need to hide from me. We talk every once in a while but mostly it is just pleasantries. My heart still picks up speed every time she walks into the room though.   
MG and Lizzie are completely involved in their debate leaving Hope and me to talk privately as Penelope struts into the cafeteria. “Jo,” Hope can hear my heart rate. She places her hand against the small of my back. “Why don’t you go talk to her?” I shake my head. “No, I don’t know where we stand. And it is my fault I pushed her away.” Hope keeps staring at me. “You could invite her to the party tonight.” She grabs my phone off the table and hands it to me. “Just text her.”  
Penelope POV-  
I can’t help it. I walk into a room and immediately begin scanning it looking for her face. Josie. I notice she is talking to Hope who places her hand on her back. My breath catches as I drop my eye contact and walk over to some of my friends at the corner table.   
I sit in silence listening to everyone talking. Josie’s back is to me. Hope finally removes her hand and places it back into her lap. I know they are best friends but I’m getting all fired up. That should be me next to her. Right on cue, my phone buzzes interrupting my thoughts. Her name popping up on my screen sends my heart racing. “Are you going to the party tonight?” I text back. “Not sure, might stop by.” I watch her body language as she reads my response. Hope is looking over her shoulder. “Well, find me if you do.” Wow, Josie with some sass. She took a play from my handbook. I wasn’t planning on going tonight but I just might have to now.   
Josie POV-  
“There, I texted her.” Hope smiles up at me proudly. “See, don’t you feel better?” I let out a puff of air. “Not really,” we both laugh at my response. “Good job, you’re pulling a Penelope move with the ‘come and find me’ comment.” Hope winks at me before we both stand up to head to class.   
I change into some black ripped skinny jeans and a v neck tshirt when I get back from classes. I don’t have much alone time though because Lizzie grabs my hand and drags me out of our room about 7:45. The sun has finally set so the party can begin. We are met by a smiley MG at the Old Mill. He hands us each a cup as we follow him to the fire pit. He keeps filling up my cup periodically throughout the night so I can’t keep track of how much I have drank. “Hey Jo, how are you feeling?” MG comes back from refilling my cup, again. “My head is floating.” Thankfully I am sitting otherwise I am pretty sure I would be stumbling. “Have you seen Pen?” MG shakes his head. “I haven’t. I’ll point her your way if I do.” He walks away back towards the group of vamps dancing in the center of the Old Mill.  
The bon fire is more secluded from the party which lessens my nerves. There are less people surrounding me asking pointless questions. I pull out my phone. “Pen, wher are yoi?” Oops I think I spelled some words wrong. I sit there looking at my phone waiting for a response. “I’m sorry JoJo, I got a little distracted. You doing okay?” I love when she calls me JoJo. Only she calls me that. “You ahould come oit here.” I lift my cup to my mouth and down the rest of my beer, some of it dribbles down my chin and onto my shirt. I set the cup down next to me before trying to stand. “Woah, take it easy, Josie.” Jed happens to be walking by as I stumble. “Maybe you should sit back down.” He holds my arm and guides me back down to my chair. “Are you going to be okay?” He kneels down in front of me. My phone buzzes in my hand. “I’m coming.” I look up to Jed with a huge grin on my face. “I’m okay, Penny is coming to see me.” He smirks at my reaction. “Okay Josie, let me know if you need anything.” He stands up and walks away towards the Old Mill.  
Penelope POV-  
I got distracted studying in the library and completely forgot about the party. I look down at my watch and see it is 10:30 right as my phone buzzes. “Pen, wher are yoi?” Oh no, she’s drunk. I walk back up to my room and drop my bag as I grab a hoodie and walk right back out. “I’m coming.” I lightly start to jog out the back doors of the school and out to the Old Mill. I slow down to a fast walk as I approach the party. Everyone seems pretty intoxicated by now. 11:00. I need to find Josie.   
I hop up the stairs two at a time and start scanning the room. I spot her sitting out by the fire. I push past a couple of people never losing sight of her. I walk around her chair and kneel down in front of her. “Hey JoJo.” Her face lights up at seeing me. I see Jed out of the corner of my eye nod at me making sure she was taken care of. I will have to thank him later. Josie throws her arms around my neck pulling me towards her. “Hey Penny, I missed you.” Her words are slurred slightly as she whispers in my ear. She pulls her arms back and looks at me. “You ready to go home, Jo?” I grab her hand and help her to her feet. “Only if I’m going home with you.” She held out that last word kind of long. “Yes, you can come home with me.” I wrap my arm around her waist to help stabilize her. “You know, you’re really pretty and you smell nice. Like home.” She rolls her head to the side to look at me. “Come on JoJo, we are almost there.”  
We somehow manage to get back to my room without running into anyone. I walk her over to my bed and help her sit down. I let go and walk away to grab clothes for her. I turn back around to see her pouting. “What’s wrong?” She lifts her hands towards me. “Come back here.” I close my dresser drawers and walk back towards her. “Arms up.” I carefully pull her beer soaked shirt up over her head and replace it with one of my hoodies that she used to steal all the time from me. “Okay, lay back, Jo.” She collapses backwards onto my bed as I unbutton her jeans and slide them off her legs. She pulls her legs back before I can put shorts on her. “JoJo, don’t you want shorts?” She shakes her head no as she crawls under my covers and curls up on her side of the bed. She is adorable. I grab a water bottle and a bucket and place it next to her before changing into sleep clothes and crawling into bed next to her. I’m not sure how much she drank and if she’ll throw it back up later or not. She places her head into my shoulder and wraps her arm around my waist as I pick up my phone to text her twin. “Hey Lizzie, your sister is with me. She’s okay.” I look down to see Josie’s eyes already struggling to stay open. “Okay.” I plug my phone in and turn off the light.  
“Penny?” Her voice cuts through the silence. “Yeah, Jo?” I lift my hand from her back and start running my fingers through her hair as she hums ever so slightly at my touch. “You’re not going to leave me, are you?” She lets out a shaky breath. “No, JoJo. I’m right here.” She lifts my hoodie to cover her nose and takes in a deep breath before nuzzling further into my shoulder. “Goodnight Pen. I love you.” I lightly trace my fingers up and down her back until she falls asleep. “I love you too.”  
END OF FLASHBACK  
Josie POV-  
Penelope and I finish our run and end up at the Old Mill. We both stand around trying to catch our breath since we sprinted the last quarter mile. Penelope walks over towards me. “That felt good.” As much as I didn’t want to run, I had to agree. Running was the only time I could escape my mind while she was gone. “Come on, let’s go eat.” I extend my hand to her. We walk back towards the school swinging our arms between us as we bump our shoulders together every couple of steps.  
After eating, we head up the stairs and down the hallway towards our rooms. “Want to grab some clothes and come to my room? Or you can continue wearing my clothes. Up to you.” Her voice isn’t as confident as it usually is. We both need to talk over what we are since she is back and came back for me. “Sure Pen, here, come with me.” I grab her hand and drag her into my room to grab a change of clothes before we head to her room. “You can shower first, JoJo. I’ll wait here.” I throw my clothes onto her bed and grab her hand. “Or we save the environment and conserve water.” A small smile crosses her lips but she stops me. “Are you sure?” I nod my head and she follows me into her bathroom.  
FLASHBACK  
Josie POV-  
I start to stir awake as I attempt to flip to my other side but am stopped. I look down and see Penelope’s arm holding me tight against her. What happened last night? I look down and see I’m wearing her hoodie. I carefully lift her arm off me so I can flip sides hopefully without waking her but to no avail. “Hey JoJo, how’s your head?” The sound of her voice in the morning could kill me. I push my head against her chest to hide from the bright lights. “Throbbing.” She places her arm back around me as I shut my eyes and focus on her breathing. At least I didn’t throw up. “Pen, how did I get here?”   
She is lightly scratching my back causing me to nuzzle further against her. She knows I love when she does this. “You texted me last night to ask where I was. I could tell you were drunk so I went out to the Old Mill and found you by the fire. You let me bring you back here. I changed your clothes because you had spilled beer on yourself but you refused to let me put shorts on you so that is why you are only in my hoodie. And I texted Lizzie so she knows you are with me and not wandering the woods.” Thank goodness my face is tucked into her so she can’t see how red my cheeks are turning. “Did I say anything else embarrassing?” She is quiet for a minute. “Not that I remember.” She’s lying.   
I don’t want to leave her arms because I know it won’t stay like this. I can blame the alcohol for last night but not when I’m sober. I wonder what I said to her. Eventually, our moment has to end. Penelope’s phone buzzes. Lizzie’s name pops up on her screen. “I need Josie. Tell her to meet me in our room. ASAP.” She sighs as she shows me the text. I sit up and get ready to move off the bed when Penelope grabs my hand. “I know we aren’t dating or anything but if you need anything Jo or just need a space to sleep, my door is always open. You still have the old key right?” I nod my head. I would never admit that I keep her key in my backpack with me wherever I go. “Thanks Pen,” I hesitate before continuing. “For everything.” She releases my hand as I slip my pants on and grab my shirt off her floor. I point to her hoodie that I am still wearing but she answers my silent question for me. “Keep it, looks better on you anyway.” I smile at her before walking out of her room.   
END OF FLASHBACK


	2. Maybe It Would Be Better If I Leave/Tattoos/Beach Day

Josie POV-  
Penelope and I finish our shower and end up watching a movie on her computer together in her bed. When it finishes she closes her laptop and turns to look at me. I wrap my arms around her waist and hold on tight before returning her eye contact. “Are you really going to stay?” This just doesn’t seem real. “Yes JoJo, I’m not going anywhere. Whether you want to be with me or not, I’m yours. I always have been.” A smirk begins to cross my lips. “So, what does this mean for us? Will you be my girlfriend?” My heart sinks for half a second thinking she might say no before she leans down and kisses me. “Yes, Jo. I will be your girlfriend.” I drop my smile to put on a serious glare. “No more leaving. No more avoiding. If something is wrong, don’t write a letter to me, talk to me, okay? And I will stand up for myself more.” I try to hide the smile creeping onto my face as I look at my beautiful girlfriend but I manage to hold out until she answers. “I promise.”  
We spend the rest of the afternoon redecorating her room with all of her stuff. She still has a single room like Hope. “Babe, you want this over here?” I hold up some random books. I can’t remember where she had everything. “Yeah that works there.” I set them down then my phone buzzes. “You, me, Penelope, and Hope. Dinner at 6?” I check the time. We have about an hour. “Pen, is dinner at 6 good with Hope and Lizzie?” She nods her head. “As long as Lizzie doesn’t pick a fight like last time.” That was a terrible day. It was the final straw for Penelope. I walk over to where she is folding clothes and putting them in her dresser. I sit down next to her and grab her hand. “It won’t happen again.”  
FLASHBACK  
Josie POV-  
It has been four days since I spent the night with Penelope. We haven’t really had any time to discuss the other night. I rush out of my last class to meet Lizzie in the cafeteria. “Hey Liz, how was your day?” She starts to ramble on about her classes and the people who upset her today. “Jo, are you even listening to me?” A hint of annoyance is running through her voice. “Yeah, sorry.” I lift my head as I see Penelope walk into my field of view. She splits from her friends and heads my way. “Hey JoJo, can we talk?”   
Lizzie stands up and moves to stand between us. “No thanks. She doesn’t want to.” I place my hand on Lizzie’s arm. “Liz,” she swats me away and continues. “You are just another pity case for her. So leave her alone. She doesn’t want you and your damage.” Penelope takes a step closer to Lizzie. “Another pity case? You mean you right? This is between Josie and me. Not you. So get out of our fucking business.” Penelope squeezes her hands tight against her sides and cocks her head to plead with me. “Jo, say something, anything.” I freeze. Lizzie turns her head to look at me but I stay silent. Penelope scoffs. “I can’t do this anymore.” Her words are barely above a whisper. She turns on her heel and rushes out of the cafeteria. I turn to Lizzie, “How could you? She at least took care of me after the party. You were no where to be seen. It’s sad really. She cares more about me than my own twin.” I grab my backpack and leave before she can say anything else.   
END OF FLASHBACK  
Penelope POV-  
Josie and I lock our fingers together as we make our way to the cafeteria. We spot Hope and Lizzie already at a table so we sit across from them. Once we are settled, Hope nudges Lizzie’s side a little hard and shoots a glare in her direction. Lizzie turns to me. “Penelope, I just wanted to apologize for our fight that made you want to leave. I was out of line. You make my sister really happy and I can see that now.” She sounds sincere. Hope looks satisfied with Lizzie’s answer. Josie lets go of my hand and moves hers to my thigh lightly grasping it in reassurance. “Thanks Lizzie.” I place my hand on top of Josie’s and lock our fingers back together. Hope had told me how Lizzie and Josie had a huge fight after I left and that Josie has been more independent since then. I didn’t want it to come to that but I guess it worked. I just want the best for my girl even if it ends up not being me and she can’t do that if she won’t stand up for herself.   
The four of us finish eating all the while making small talk about the week to come. Thankfully, I have almost all of my classes with Josie. We go our separate ways as Josie follows me. Lizzie and Hope walk off together in the other direction. “So JoJo, are you going to grace me with your presence and spend the night?” Josie’s cheeks turn red as our shoulders bump into each other again. We arrive at her door as she lets go of my hand and pretends like she is going to leave. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe. Maybe not.” She leans away from me with a huge smirk on her face as I grab her hand to pull her towards me but two can play at that game. “Is that so, huh? Maybe I’ll just go find someone else to sleep over.” I let go of her hand and make to unlock my door as she rushes forward and wraps her arms around my waist and buried her head into my shirt lightly pushing me against the door. “No. You’re mine.” I unlock the door and surprise her by throwing her over my shoulder to carry her through the doorway. “Hey! Penny, let me down.” She tries to sound serious but ends up just laughing as she wraps her arms around my front to hold her body against mine. She might be taller than me but I’ve got strength on her. “Is someone jealous?” I fake gasp to continue to get a rise out of her. I hear a quiet, “Definitely not.” As I throw her onto my bed, she catches my hand pulling me with her. We both end up laughing until it hurts.  
I rotate to my side next to her and lean on my arm to look at Josie. She is trying to read the expression on my face. “What are you thinking?” I take my free hand and place it behind her neck to pull her closer to me so I can kiss her forehead. She leans back so she can see me with a confused smile on her face. She makes me so happy. “I can’t wait for our future together.” Josie pushes forward towards me planting her lips on mine. She pulls back for a second and rests her forehead on mine as she shifts to sitting on my lap. My whole being wants her. Needs her. I glance down at her lips for a split second longer before giving in to her.  
FLASHBACK  
Penelope POV-  
Why wouldn’t Josie say anything? She can’t just sit there and not stand up for what she thinks and feels even if it goes against her sister. Maybe it would be better if I leave. Josie and I can both move on without having to see each other every single day. Mom did say I could go to Belgium with her. I lock my bedroom door behind me and sit down at my desk taking out a sheet of paper and a pen. Clearly, I won’t be able to talk to her about this in person so I’ll just leave her this.  
“Dear Josie, I can’t do this anymore. It is too hard being around you especially when you won’t defend yourself. My Mom got a new job in Belgium so I have decided to transfer to the all witch school there with her. I hope you can find someone who loves you as much as I do. And who treats you like you are their world because you deserve nothing less. I’ll always be a text or phone call away if you need anything. Forever yours, Pen.”  
Silent tears are streaming down my face as I sign my name. I fold the letter up and seal it in an envelope. I leave it on my desk and walk out of my room to talk to Alaric and Hope.   
“Wait, you are really leaving?” I found Hope in her room after I finished talking to Alaric. “Yeah, I booked a flight, it leaves at the end of the week.” Hope and I have gotten closer this year. She is probably my best friend. We sit in silence both trying to find words to express how we feel. “I’m going to miss you, P. You better keep in touch. Have you decided how to tell Jo?” I look down to my hands. “Yeah, I wrote a letter. It is apparent I won’t be able to talk to her in person. Would you be able to slip it to her tomorrow?” Hope raises her hands in defense. “I don’t want to get in the middle of this.” I look up. “Please, Hope. Help me out.” She nods. “Fine, but if I get smited by the Queen, I will hurt you.” I can’t help but laugh at her comment. “I suggest you don’t get caught then.”  
The following morning I swing by Hope’s room and hand her the letter for Josie. “Thank you again.” I head to some of my last classes of the week. I am set to fly out Friday night and it is Wednesday. After classes, I head back to my room to continue packing it up when my door flys open.   
Josie comes barging into my room clutching the letter. “Seriously? You were going to leave like this? You didn’t even give it to me yourself. You gave it to Hope!” I look up from my spot on the floor. The way Josie is standing screams pissed. Her hand on her hip. I try to keep my voice steady. “Well, it didn’t go well trying to talk to you yesterday so.” I look back down to the box I’m packing. “You can’t leave, Penelope.” Woah, she used my full name. She means business. I stand up and walk closer to her, slowly. I can sense her anticipation for my response. “You, have given me no reasons to stay. Mom offered for me to move to Belgium weeks ago before I was even shot. I tried with you, Jo. But every time I think we are making headway, something happens. I will not stay here and watch you kill yourself. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to finish packing since I leave Friday.” I know I sound like a bitch but it upsets me to see her get pushed around by Lizzie. I maintain our eye contact a couple of seconds more before I turn my back to her and move to unpack my bookcase waiting for her to leave. Eventually, I hear the door click shut as I let out a shaky gasp and grab ahold of my bookcase to steady myself. I mumble under my breath. “Fuck.” All I want to do is pull her into my arms and never let her go. She needs to see that I won’t always be here to protect her though which is why I need to leave. Maybe some distance is all we need.   
Friday afternoon comes quickly. I ran into Josie a couple of times yesterday but no words were spoken. I bring my suitcases to the front doors of the school. Alaric called a car to pick me up and take me to the airport. Hope is waiting for me. I flash my signature smirk at her but drop eye contact. She takes me into a huge hug. I hear her in my ear. “Take care of yourself, P. By the way, someone is here to see you.” She lets me go and steps back as I turn around to see Josie fiddling with her hands and walking hesitantly towards me. “Hey Pen,” Hope backs away further and leaves to give us privacy. “Hey JoJo.” I open my arms towards her giving her silent permission to come forward. She rushes into my arms and engulfs me in a huge hug. She buries her face into my neck as I feel her hot tears begin to run into my shirt. “I’m sorry, Pen.” We stand there holding each other for what feels like hours but was really only seconds. When we separate, I grab ahold of her hand as the words leave her mouth, “I love you, Penny.” Tears are still pushing out of her eyes. I squeeze her hand lightly in response. “I love you too, JoJo. Take care of yourself.” I watch our hands drop to our sides as I attempt to smile at Josie before turning my back to her and walking out the doors of the school.  
END OF FLASHBACK

Josie POV-  
I don't think I will ever get tired of waking up in Penelope's arms. I open my eyes to see I'm curled up into her chest and she is holding me against her. I lean forward and push my head against her shirt taking in a deep inhale. I love her scent. "Are you smelling me, JoJo?" I open my eyes to see Penelope looking down at me with a smirk on her face. "Maybe," I lean my head against her chest again before continuing. "Your hoodie stopped smelling like you after a couple weeks of me sleeping with it. I missed it. I never thought to go visit your old room though." Her hand lightly traces the side of my face as she pushes a piece of hair behind my ear still sending chills down my back at her touch. "Yeah, broke my heart to see you still sleeping with my hoodie weeks later." I shoot my head back with a confused look on my face. "Wait, how did you see?" Penelope twists her back to reach behind her for her phone. She unplugs it and pulls up a picture of me sleeping. "Hope sent it to me the other day. I honestly didn't know you were still being impacted this much I thought maybe it was just me being stubborn and not moving on. But yeah, that's when I realized that I royally fucked up. I booked my flight home that night. I just didn't want to be away from you for another second." I scoot back so I can see more of her face. I give her the phone back then grab ahold of her hand. Our fingers interlock easily like we have been doing it all of our lives together. "Careful Park, if someone hears you they might realize you are a total softie." I am grinning from ear to ear as she holds me against her. This has always been my open threat I use against her. Only I see this side of her, the one that cares so deeply. Everyone else sees the walls she has put up. Eventually, Penelope's alarm goes off so we get up and get ready for our day.  
Penelope POV-  
Josie and I share all but two classes during the day. We sit down in our first period next to Lizzie and Hope. "Alright class, let's get started." Dorian starts rambling on about history. I shouldn't have an issue getting back into my school routine. I was way ahead in my classes before I left. Josie and I were the two top witches in our class followed by Hope. I'll get my spot back.  
I doodle in my notebook until the end of class when Josie nudges me. "Come on, Penny." I pack up my stuff and follow her out of the room. Lizzie and Hope are trailing behind us chatting quietly. I squeeze Josie's hand to get her attention. "Is there something going on between them?" I nod my head backwards towards the two girls. "Honestly, I think so but neither will admit anything. They got closer after you left." I return my attention to the hallway.  
We are a couple of steps from the doorway of our next class when a boy next to us drops all three of the textbooks in his hands. They hit the ground in a successive loud smack. The sound reverberates throughout the hallway and stops all conversations. I instinctively place my hand over my scar. I look down to see that I am fine. I haven't been shot again. I close my eyes and try to focus my breathing. I start reassuring myself in my head. "You're fine. Everything is fine. It was just some textbooks." I do my best to fill my lungs with air but stop short and gasp for air. "Penny, hey, are you okay?" Josie pulls me into the empty classroom next to us. She helps me sit down against the wall as I pull my knees to my chest and place my head against them.  
Josie POV-  
I squat down in front of Penelope and lightly place my hands against the sides of her legs. She jumps slightly at my touch but her posture relaxes after a second. After about five minutes, she lifts her head up, eyes still closed tight, and leans it back against the wall behind her. "Sorry, I'm okay now." I move my left hand on top of hers and lift my right hand to her cheek. She gravitates towards my touch. "It is okay to not be alright. How often does this happen?" Her eyes flutter open at my question. "It was just the loud bang. I just, it brought me back to the night I was shot. It has happened a couple of times." I drop my hand and scoot a couple inches over so I am closer to her side. I can't believe I never noticed this before. "Look, Pen," I grasp the bottom of her shirt as she nods at me giving me permission. I lift it up to reveal the scar. "No new wound. You are okay. Next time this happens, try to show your brain that you are okay." I lower her shirt back down. "Thanks JoJo." I stand up and offer her my hand to take. "Let's go to class."  
Penelope POV-  
I make it through the rest of our classes without any problems. I still feel slightly on edge but that will fade. Josie caught me bouncing my leg earlier but when she rested her hand on my thigh it helped. "Alright class, pick a partner. We are going to combine everything we have learned these past couple of weeks. Your final project will be to use magic to create a tattoo that does something for the individual. The tattoo can be of anything but it must have a magical component. You must be able to prove the effects of the tattoo. After this project is over, you can remove them. Any questions?" Josie turns to look at me with a glint in her eye. No words are needed. I beat her to her question. "Yes, JoJo, I'll be your partner, like you even need to ask." When our teacher finishes talking we pack up our books and head out of the classroom back to my room.  
The rest of the week passes quickly. I didn't have any more panics but I also didn't hear any more loud bangs. Josie left for the library a couple of hours ago. I finish up some homework in my room then head out to the woods for a run after setting up the Old Mill. I've been trying to sneak in a couple mile run every other day. It helps keep my head quiet. I take a quick shower before heading to the kitchen when I get back. I grab Josie's favorite snack and drink and head to the library.  
I walk through the doors and find her in the far corner with her nose in a book. I stand there watching her for a second before approaching. She is so cute. "Hey JoJo," I extend my hand with the food and drink. "Thanks, what did you do today?" She shuts the book as I pull a seat up in front of her and grab ahold of her hand. "I finished some homework and went for a run." She looks partially hurt I didn't invite her to come with me but quickly hides it with a smile. As much as I love running with Josie, it feels liberating to run by myself. I look down to our intertwined hands. "Are you finished with your homework? Do you want to start working on our tattoo idea?"  
She lets go of my hand and starts packing up her books. "Yep, sounds good. Where do you want to work on it?" I didn't want to ruin the surprise I planned for us by acting too excited. "How about the Old Mill? We won't be interrupted there." She nods her head. I pick up Josie's backpack from the floor and begin to walk out as she looks up. "Penny, I can carry that." She catches up to me and attempts to take it back but I interlock our arms instead. "Let me be nice." She fake pouts as I lean over and peck her lips leaving her with a smile on her face.  
Josie POV-  
When we get back to my room, I change out what books I need and get ready to leave. "You might want a jacket, it's chilly out there and I don't want to have to give you mine." I look over my shoulder to see Penelope smiling smugly. "Jokes on you, this already is your hoodie." I pick up the hoodie I slept with every night while she was gone off my desk chair and follow her out of my room.  
The sun is starting to set as we walk into the woods. "Why are there lights on in the Old Mill?" We get closer and I see a blanket laid out on the ground, a laptop, and a cooler. "Penny?" I turn to look at her as she tucks her head slightly, a small smile forming across her lips. "Date night?" I nod my head. "I'd love to."  
We sit down on the blanket and put on a movie as we eat the food she prepared for us. "You didn't have to do this, Pen." She has been so lovey all week. "Yeah, but I wanted to. I still feel bad that I left you. I'm just trying to make up for it. I set it up before I went for my run. That is why I didn't invite you. Didn't want to ruin this." I lean my head down onto her shoulder. "You being here is enough." We finish the movie and Penelope shuts her computer. "This was wonderful, Penny." I let out a small sigh. "Guess we need to work on our project now though." Penelope leans back and rests on one arm watching me closely as I reach into my bag.  
I grab a pen and a notebook. "I think we can worry about the design later. What should we have the tattoo do for the person?" Penelope taps her fingers on her leg as she thinks. I lean back and look up at the wood ceiling. What is something I wish could help me. "What about a tattoo that gives you photographic memory? It would be helpful for school." Penelope nods her head at me. "Write it down that's good." We have four ideas written down by the end of the night. Photographic memory. Mind read. Invisibility. Telepathic communication if both individuals have the tattoo. We return to Penelope's room and start to get ready for bed. I sit down on the edge of her bed as she brushes her teeth. A thought crosses my mind, "We know there are loopholes with magic. If we are giving ourselves this ability, there has to be some sort of downside." Penelope returns her toothbrush to the side of her sink and turns to look at me resting against the bathroom doorframe. I grab a book out of my backpack to check my information before I continue, "So essentially, if we design the spell for the tattoo. We can't guarantee the negative effect will outweigh the positive. We will just have to test the negative effect for each idea." She nods her head at me before walking over and taking the book out of my hand. She sets it on the side table before crawling into bed next to me. "This is going to be fun."  
Penelope POV-  
"Okay, I think I have the last spell figured out for this one." I look over at Josie's work. "Yeah, looks good to me. So now that we have all four of these spells figured out, we need to test the side effects." I slide off the edge of my bed and stand a couple of feet away from my bed. I extend my arms out to my sides and close my eyes waiting for the spell. "Alright JoJo, mark me." I finally convinced Josie to let me be the test subject first. We don't truly know how these spells and tattoos will work. I don't want to be the reason Josie gets hurt from one of these backfiring.  
Josie rereads the spell in her head off the sheet of paper then raises her hand towards me. She recites it out loud. I look down and feel a slight burn on my inner wrist. It quickly fades as I look down to see a small J forming. I raise one eyebrow at Josie who is beaming back at me. She drops her hands into her lap and lets out a small laugh. "What? You told me to mark you." I run my fingertip over the J. Honestly, this is pretty cute. "Time to test my new photographic memory." I grab the sheet of paper that we wrote down random facts on. We set a timer and let me scan the sheet for ten seconds. When the timer goes off, I hand the sheet to Josie and start to think about the facts trying to envision them in my head.  
I look down to my left arm and see the facts I just read appearing on my skin. "What the fuck?" Josie's entire demeanor switches from happy and light hearted to concerned at my outburst. Her eyebrows scrunch together as she looks at me. "Penny, what's wrong?" I hold my arm up to her. "Do you see this?" She scans my arm but shakes her head no. "I can see the facts I just read on my arm, they are even in your handwriting." If she didn't know better, Josie would think I am crazy. "Okay, so this spell visualizes what the photographic memory takes in and places it on the skin only for the individual to see. That is a little odd." I lift my left hand and say the reversal spell. The words dissipate off my arm. Josie writes down what happened then jumps off the bed to take my place. "My turn."  
The invisibility tattoo was cool but the user could only turn invisible for ten seconds at a time. Josie had fun turning invisible, poking me, then laughing as she ran away and turned visible again. Next, we tested the mind reading. I could easily hear everything Josie thought but I lost my filter when speaking so I said anything on my mind. It led to a break from our homework for awhile.  
Josie POV-  
It was time to test the telepathic communication tattoo idea. I said the spell and the J formed on Penelope's inner wrist again. She had a P form on mine. We stare at each other intently. "Can you hear me?" Penelope's eyes light up as I hear her in my head. "Yes, I can. I wonder what the side effect is." She sits down next to me and grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers. Her eyes glance up and down at me quickly. "God, she looks better than me in that hoodie." She definitely didn't mean to say that to me. A red tint fills her face. Penelope speaks out loud. "Did you hear that?" I nod my head and giggle slightly. "Well I guess the side effect is that you can't control what the other person hears." I pick up my pen and write it down in my notebook. "So, which side effect is the lesser evil of the four?" I lift my eyes from the notebook at hearing Penelope's voice but don't see her mouth moving. "Definitely this one. The goal is to communicate and hear each other. This just takes it to the extreme with radical honesty 24/7." I look down at the P on my wrist. "Do you want to keep these for now?" I meet her eyes to see her response. "Yeah, I want to freak out Lizzie and Hope." Of course that is what she wants to do. She grabs my hand and drags me out of her room towards the cafeteria.

Penelope POV-  
We sit down at one of the tables with our food and begin to eat as we wait for Lizzie and Hope to join us. Eventually, they walk into the room. They bump shoulders a couple of times before sitting down in front of us. Realization crosses their faces as Josie and I sit there watching them. "What?" I turn to look at Josie who gives me a "I told you so" look before looking back to her food. She answers for us. "Nothing." She picks up her fork and begins to eat again as Lizzie's eyes go wide. "What the hell is on your wrist?" She reaches over and grabs Josie's wrist from across the table. I talk to her in my head. "This should be good." Lizzie runs her thumb over the P. "When did you get a tattoo? And a P? Penelope hasn't even been back a week! What will Dad say?" Lizzie switches her attention to me as I hold up my own wrist to show her the J. She scoffs at me before I see Hope reach her hand over to pinch Lizzie's side. "Ow, I mean. I am glad you are happy." She forces a smile towards Josie as she releases her grip on Josie's arm. "Tell her, Pen. You had your fun." I look to my right to see Josie glaring at me while trying to hide the smirk threatening to break her serious expression. "Oh come on, that was a pretty great reaction." She drops her hand onto my leg and squeezes slightly as my final warning. I look between Hope and Lizzie who appear to also be having a silent conversation. "It is for a project in our last class. We had to create a tattoo thats benefit outweighs the negative. We created one that lets us communicate with each other telepathically and the side effect is that everything we think the other can hear." Hope looks fascinated. "I think I'm taking that next semester. You really can communicate with each other?" We both nod our heads simultaneously. Lizzie pipes in, "Prove it."  
She drags Josie out of ear shot to tell her something I am supposed to repeat like telepathic telephone. I watch as they walk away from me. My eyes drift from the back of Josie's head down her back. It looks like she is intentionally swinging her hips more than usual. It doesn't take long for me to hear Josie in my head. "Might have been intentional, might not have. This whole no filter thing is going to take some getting used to. By the way, the code word is Lizzie's Harry Potter House, 'Slytherin'." I watch as they walk back over to us. The entire time Hope's eyes don't leave Lizzie. "Slytherin." Lizzie's mouth drops open as Hope's face lights up. "Please show me this magic."  
Lizzie and Hope are having a debate about something so I turn to Josie. "So, I was thinking." Josie starts to giggle. "That's never a good thing." I love her laugh. "Do you want to try and spend Christmas together? I don't know what we could do I just know I don't want to be away from you." I say the last part kind of quiet. "Of course, Penny. Maybe we could do Christmas the four of us. Mom will still be away and Dad will probably be holed up in his office. Hope is planning on seeing her family for Thanksgiving so she'd probably like being with us for Christmas." It sounds like she had thought about this before. "Yes, yes I have. You just beat me to asking." Josie's lips didn't move. "It sounds perfect to me, Jo." Lizzie breaks apart our silent conversation. "Excuse me, not all of us can hear your thoughts. What were you talking about?" Josie and I share a knowing look. "We had an idea."  
Josie POV-  
The next few weeks passed quickly. Lizzie moped the entire time Hope was gone in New Orleans for Thanksgiving. We got an A on our tattoo project. Penelope and I decided to leave the tattoos. It is still a learning process getting used to hearing an unfiltered mind from our loved one but overall, no issues.  
"Are you all packed up, JoJo?" I turn around to see Penelope standing in my doorway watching me. I zip up my suitcase and place it on the floor at my feet. "Yes, I am." We rented a small condo for the next couple of days in Virginia Beach. It is a three bedroom for Lizzie, Hope, Penelope, and me.  
Penelope extends her hand towards me as I grab my suitcase. We walk down the stairs and out to Dad's car. When we step outside I see Hope is in the driver's seat with Lizzie shotgun which leaves Penelope and me in the back seat. We put my suitcase in the trunk on top of theirs and get situated. I pull out my headphones and plug them into my phone before hitting shuffle on my playlist. Penelope follows suit. I turn my head to look out the window but reach out for Penelope's hand behind me. Hope puts the car into drive and we pull out of the Salvatore School grounds.  
Penelope sleeps for most of the drive. Her eyes begin to flutter open as we pull into the parking space outside the condo. Hope and Lizzie jump out and head inside to check out the place as I nudge Penelope to wake up. "Penny, we are here." It is easy to cut through when we speak to each other in our heads. She rolls off the window as she lifts her hand to rub at her eyes. She looks down at our hands still interlocked between us and smiles. "You are so cute." It turns into a smirk as she looks over at me. "Come on, let's grab suitcases." We bring the suitcases into the condo and claim the master suite for us. Lizzie and Hope won't admit to anyone that they have slept in the same room every night for the past couple of weeks so they each claim a separate room. A couple weeks ago, I snuck into my room one night because I forgot a textbook and I found Lizzie curled up into Hope who's arm was wrapped tight around my sister. A couple of days later, Penelope and I both went back and found the same scene. We are pretty sure Hope could hear us come into the room but she hasn't said anything.

Penelope POV-  
I collapse onto the bed stomach first. It doesn't take long for Josie to come lay down too. She maneuvers herself on top of me giggling the entire time. We have been inseparable every since I got back and any time we have alone, we spend being as close to each other as possible. The pressure of Josie laying on me is comforting. I let out a small sigh then think, "What do you want to do, JoJo?" She nuzzles her head against my back between my shoulder blades. "Want to walk to the beach? We can invite Lizzie and Hope too but I figure they will either stay here or do their own thing at the beach." It is so nice to have silent conversations; it's easy. Our relationship has been like this ever since I got back. "Sounds good to me." We continue laying there for a couple minutes longer before Josie eventually crawls off allowing me to get up. She grabs my hoodie out of her suitcase and follows me out of the room.  
"Hey guys, want to come to the beach with us?" The two of them are sitting on the couch. Lizzie is on her phone while Hope steals glances at her. Lizzie looks up from her phone at Hope who shrugs her shoulders ever so slightly that only someone truly watching her movements would notice it was intentional instead of just her breathing. Lizzie speaks for them. "Sure." She hops off the couch and grabs herself a jacket before we all walk out the door.  
The sun is starting to set as the light reflects off the water. There is barely anyone out here right now since it rained earlier. Lizzie and Hope immediately walk in the other direction as us when we get there. I find a good spot to sit and tug on Josie's hand. She sits down between my legs as I wrap my arms around her.  
We enjoy the silence and each other's closeness as we watch the waves move in and out. "Hey Jo?" She turns her head to look at me. Most of our conversations nowadays are silent. We can already hear each other's thoughts and feelings so it just comes out naturally. "Have you thought about our future?" A small smile forms on Josie's lips. "You know I have, Pen. Why do you mention it?" I hesitate to continue but my thoughts spill out no matter what. "When we graduate, where do you want to go? I just, whatever you want to do I'll support one hundred percent and I want you to be able to do anything you want without worrying about me." Josie stops me. "Penny, you are my future. Yes, I want to go to college. I know you do too. So how about we just agree to something. We talk to each other about future plans and make decisions together since this is our life together." She emphasizes 'our life'. I nod my head. "I like that plan." Josie leans forward and places her forehead on mine. "Why are you worrying about this now? We still have a year and a half left." I hold onto Josie a little tighter unintentionally. "I know it is stupid since I left you the first time but I just don't want to lose this. You. I don't want to lose you." Josie exhales slowly and pulls back forcing me to look her in the eye. "I'm not going anywhere. It is us until the end." I nod my head in acknowledgment as Josie turns around to look at the water again. She sighs in contentment as I place my face against her neck and think about our future together. Images flash through my mind. Both of us together and happy.  
Hope and Lizzie come back shortly after we finish talking so we head back to the condo as the sun fully sets. Josie and I begin moving around the kitchen effortlessly making dinner while Lizzie and Hope chat at the bar top about random things jumping from topic to topic. They set the table as we bring out the dinner plates. "So, what is the plan for tomorrow? Anything specific anyone wants to do?" Hope looks to each of us individually waiting for a response as we eat. I turn to Josie because I can hear her thoughts. "Say it, Jo." She turns to look at me before responding to Hope. "I heard the Virginia Aquarium is cool. They also have this climbing adventure park there." I know she still doesn't like giving her opinions very much but it helps that I can hear her opinions as soon as she thinks them. Lizzie pipes up, "That looked fun. Let's go there tomorrow." It sounds like she is pleading with Hope as she says that. After a little bit of hesitation, Hope finally agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	3. She Removed It/No Longer Filtered/My Eyes!

Josie POV-  
It is only a fifteen minute drive to the aquarium. We all pile into the car and Lizzie starts to play music through the speakers. Crashing by Illenium comes on. "How could I go home when I feel like I belong in your arms? It's like champagne. Feel it bubble in my veins. Yeah, I got myself too drunk on you to drive so I'm crashing here tonight." Penelope looks over to me and our eyes meet. "You seem to crash with me a lot." She winks at me as we link our fingers together between us. "Yeah well, your arms do feel like home, so." Adoration fills her eyes as she looks at me. "Watching you guys have a silent conversation is weird yet intriguing." Hope is looking at us in the rear view mirror and smiling. "Shut up, Mikaelson." Hope chuckles and looks back out the windshield. Penelope gives my hand a quick squeeze.  
We pull into the parking lot and pay for our tickets. We stay together but in pairs. Lizzie and Hope. Penelope and me. We spend the first half of our day walking around the aquarium before heading to the ropes course. The worker has just finished helping me get into my harness when I hear Penelope in my head. "You look adorable in that and I definitely want to go after you." I wiggle around a little bit to get it settled as I try to hide the blush flooding my cheeks. "No way, you'll probably try to bounce the ropes while I am on them. You first." The worker finishes with Penelope's harness as she clicks her helmet straps together.  
"Come on, JoJo. You got this." Penelope is waiting for me at the end of this section. I grab ahold of the rope to hold on to and attempt to balance myself on the wood beams. She is definitely better than me at this. Penelope laughs out loud at hearing my thought. "Yes, I am, Jo." Hope and Lizzie have caught up to us and are waiting behind me. "Come on, Jo, faster!" Lizzie is impatiently waiting. I finally get across as Penelope grabs my arm. "See, you are fine." I lean forward as she wraps her arms around me. "You did great." We finish the rest of the course and make it safely back down to the ground. "That was so much fun." Lizzie is extremely bubbly right now. The rest of us just seem exhausted. "Come on, let's head back."  
We grab McDonalds on the way home for dinner so that we don't have to cook. When we get back to the house we each claim a spot in the living room. Penelope and me on the couch. Hope and Lizzie each in a chair. We turn on the tv and mindlessly watch until we all finish eating. The sun has set but Lizzie is still talking a mile a minute. I look over and see that Penelope's eyes keep closing then her head will shake slightly to wake herself up. "Penny, let's go to bed." She opens her eyes when she hears me in her head. I stand up and take her trash from her. She stumbles up from the couch and down the hallway. I begin to follow her out of the room when I look back to see Lizzie talking to Hope quietly. She extends her hand towards Lizzie when she thinks we have left, their fingers interlock smoothly. They clearly have done this a lot. I drop my attention from them and walk the last couple of steps to my room with a smile on my face. They both seem happy. I walk in to see Penelope already curled up under the covers. She forces her eyes open to look at me her voice comes out raspy. "Come to bed, JoJo." She lifts her arm up waiting for me to lay down. I quickly change into sleep clothes and crawl into my side of the bed and press myself against her. It doesn't take long for Penelope's breathing to settle as I relax into her arms and fall asleep.

Penelope POV-  
We all just spent the day at the beach. Josie sits down on the couch as I head to our room to change into some sweats. I come out to see Hope and Lizzie roughhousing in the kitchen. I watch from the hallway. "Hope! Give it back!" Hope is holding onto Lizzie's phone and standing on the opposite side of the kitchen counter. "I don't think so." I turn to look at Josie who shrugs her shoulders. A smirk crosses my face. "Ahh, young love." Josie can't help but giggle as she hears me in her head. "Nope, you don't get this back right now. This is our vacation. This isn't time to-" Hope is cut off by Lizzie knocking the clean pan off the counter that we used the other night for dinner. It falls to the floor with a loud crash.  
Everything feels like it slows down. I gasp as I try to take in air. My chest is tightening up. I place my hand under my shirt and feel the scar but it doesn't help. "Pen." Josie hops off the couch and rushes to my side. "Penny, look at me." I stumble backwards as Josie catches my hand. "Penelope, look at me!" My back lands against the closest wall so I slide down to the floor as Josie lets go of my hand and swings around towards Lizzie and Hope. "Seriously Lizzie! You guys couldn't be more careful! You know that noises like that trigger her!" Her hand shoots back to point at me as evidence of her statement. I place my head on my knees and try to breath.  
Josie POV-  
My anger is bubbling up in me as I look down at Penelope. Her breathing is ragged. I lift my hands to my temples and press down hard praying for the headache to subside. Penelope's thoughts are all bleeding together and coming out as a jumbled mess. I whip around to Lizzie. "Why can't you care about anyone else around you? You knew this would happen." I step forward and push Lizzie's chest forcing her to take a step back. Lizzie's eyes begin to get glassy but she stays silent. I shove her once more. "Fight back!" The condo begins to vibrate violently. I look down to see I siphoned some magic from the bracelet Penelope gave me when we first started dating. Lizzie stumbles backwards away from me and hits the kitchen counter stopping her from moving any further away. Hope quickly intervenes before I can advance. She throws herself between Lizzie and me. Her eyes flash gold as a warning when a small growl erupts from her throat. "Back off, Josie." She lifts her hand towards me ready to defend them if I decide to charge. Lizzie rushes forward. "Hope, no, she's right. We should have been more careful." Lizzie pushes Hope's arm down then turns her around to face her waiting to speak until she has Hope's undivided attention. "Breathe, Hope. I'm okay. You need to calm down." She blinks a couple of times and the gold has returned to blue by the time she glances towards me.  
I turn around and kneel down in front of Penelope. All I can hear in my head is her repeating over and over again in reassurance of herself, "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay." I reach forward and grab ahold of her hand interlocking our fingers. The shaking in the room stops. "Penny, I'm right here. You aren't shot. You are okay. This is real." Eventually, she manages to exhale normally. She opens her eyes to meet mine. "Look, no new wound." I lift her shirt to show her again. She hasn't had another one of these attacks since her first day back to classes. Hope and Lizzie haven't moved from their spots. Lizzie is mumbling quietly to Hope then pulls her in tight for a hug. Penelope pushes herself up off the floor after everything has settled. "I think I'm going to go for a run. I'll be back later." She tries to side step around me but I stop her placing my hand against her cheek. "Can I come with you? Or Hope can go?" I turn to Hope pleading with her to help me. "Yeah, P, I'll run with you." She shakes her head no quickly. "No, I, I just need this. I'll be back." I drop my hand as she quickly makes it to the front door and slips out.  
Penelope POV-  
All I know is that I need to run. Now. I haven't run since we got here and I didn't the day before we left. I slip through the front door and pray they don't try to follow me. I take off at a quick pace. Josie won't shut up in my head. "Penny, everything is okay. You don't have to run away from this. Let us help." I make it about half a mile down the road when I stop against a tree. I just need quiet. I say the reversal spell and remove the J on my wrist allowing for complete silence in my head for the first time in weeks. I step off from the tree and take off running again.  
Josie POV-  
Something just happened. "Hope, I can't hear her anymore." I look down and the P on my wrist begins to fade. My voice sounds broken as the words flow out of my mouth during my exhale. "She removed the tattoo." I rush into my room and grab my hoodie off my bed before heading towards the door. Lizzie steps in front of me to block it. "Lizzie, move out of my way." I move forward and try to get through the door. "Jo, she probably needs a break. Maybe give her some space." I step back and lift my hand ready to recite a spell. "Igna-" Hope muffles my mouth with her hand and wraps her other arm around me pulling me away from Lizzie. Her voice comes out strained in my ear. "Jo, let her go for now. She'll come back. We'll go find her if she isn't back in an hour. Now, can I let you go?" I nod my head as Hope carefully releases me from her grasp. I know I won't best them right now. I step away from them and raise my hand, pointing at the clock behind us. "30 minutes and I'm going after her."  
Penelope POV-  
I've probably run about four miles by now when I make it back to the beach we went to the first night we got here. I step out onto the sand and sit down. There are a couple of families off in the distance but they are far enough away that I can't hear them. The steady crashing of the waves is the only thing I can hear. I completely soaked through my shirt when I was running so the breeze sends chills down my back. I don't know how long I have been sitting here when I hear footsteps approaching.  
"P? Jo is looking for you. She is pretty worried." Hope carefully lowers herself down next to me. She pulls out her phone and sends a quick text before putting it back in her pocket. We both watch the waves until I speak up. "I hate that I can't control it." I look down to the sand and begin grasping handfuls before dropping them just as quickly. "I know you do. You should book a session with Emma. Might be helpful. She has helped me out a lot." I nod my head slowly as I grab another handful. My voice doesn't sound like my own as I force out the words that have been circling in my head, "It scares Josie." Hope lifts her hand and places it on my shoulder. I turn to look at her. Her eyes are filled with sympathy. "She is not scared of you. She feels helpless because she doesn't know how to help you. Did you hear her yell at us? I'm surprised we weren't hit with a magical barrier if I'm being honest. But, you should talk to her about this, not me." I mumble a quiet, "Yeah." I do my best to clean my hands off on my pants before standing up then I follow Hope back to the condo in silence.  
Josie POV-  
Lizzie and I were walking the nearby streets looking for Penelope when Lizzie's phone buzzes. "Found her. We'll be back soon." We beat them back to the condo easily. I sit down on the couch and watch the door waiting for it to open. Lizzie is sitting in the chair by the tv watching me. We will need to talk about what I said and did earlier but it can wait. Right now I need to see that Penelope is okay.  
The door eventually clicks open. Hope walks in first with Penelope trailing close behind. "Hey JoJo." I can't help it. I rush forward and leap into her arms wrapping mine around her neck. I lean into her ear, "Are you okay?" I release my death grip on her neck as she nods her head. "Better now. Do you want to go talk?" She nods her head towards our room. I begin to follow her out.

Josie POV-  
She had me so worried when she removed the tattoo. I didn't know what she was going to do. "JoJo, do you mind if I shower real quick? I soaked through my clothes when I went running." I nod my head but I shift between my feet. "Can I wait in the bathroom with you?" We shouldn't have this awkwardness between us but she feels distant. I can't lose her again. "Of course, Jo." I sit down on the toilet seat lid as Penelope takes a quick shower. I can't take my eyes off the shower curtain. I know she is behind it but I can't see her. She turns the water off so I drop my eyes to my hands and wait for her to step out.  
She finishes getting dressed and lays down on our bed with her back pressed against the headboard. I hesitantly wait for some sort of cue that she wants me to join her. I don't want to push her. "Come on, Jo." She pats right beside her and watches as I crawl onto the bed to lay down against her. I let out a shaky breath after settling into her. We sit in silence. Both waiting for the other to speak first. "I'm sorry I ran off, Jo. It has nothing to do with you. I just hate that I can't control it. And the tattoo. I just, I needed silence and," she trails off. She tucks her head avoiding eye contact. I lift my hand to her cheek. "It's okay, Penny. You know you can talk to me about this stuff. We are in this together." I drop my hand to rest on her chest. She lifts her hand and begins to run it through my hair slowly. "Yes, we are, JoJo." My grip lessens on her shirt at hearing this.  
Penelope starts to chuckle softly before speaking next. "I can't believe you yelled at Hope and Lizzie." There is a lightheartedness to her comment. "Yeah, well, they could have been more careful. I don't know if you saw it but Hope totally flashed her wolf eyes at me when I got too close to Lizzie and pushed her. Then, Lizzie calmed Hope down." I emphasized the last part. "No shit, really? When are they going to admit they have a thing?" We both let out a small laugh.  
Penelope pries my hand off her shirt and interlocks our fingers. "I think I'm going to set up an appointment with Emma when we get back and," she hesitates before continuing. "I was wondering if you would maybe come with me?" Her voice is barely audible. I know she had trouble getting that out. "That sounds like a good idea, Penny, and I'd love to come with you. I will be there every step of the way that you want me there." We sit in comfortable silence. The awkwardness from earlier is gone.  
She holds up my wrist to see the faded P. "Can you put mine back on? This conversation would go a lot easier with you able to hear my thoughts." I lock eyes with her to make sure she really wants this. I remember she had a harder time adjusting to the extra thoughts flooding her head when we first added them. Penelope nods her head confirming what she just asked of me. I imagine the J in my mind and say the spell we created for our project. The J on her wrist reappears and the P on mine is now back to its normal color. My thoughts are no longer filtered. "Please don't leave me." It cuts straight through to her. It is the main thought that has scared me the most since she has gotten back from Belgium. That has always been my fear. That she would leave again. Hurt flashes across her eyes as she looks down at me. She has heard this thought before and it never seems to fade. "It is us until the end, JoJo. And I will do my best to prove that to you."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie and I laid in our bed for awhile longer until Josie's thoughts cut through the quiet. "I need to go apologize to Hope and Lizzie." She was curled up against me with her head buried hiding her face. I pick up my phone to see that we had been talking about an hour. I look down at Josie waiting for her to make eye contact. She eventually lifts her head, tears threaten to spill out again. I lift my thumb and lightly wipe away the stray tear that has managed to escape. "Hey, no more crying. They understand what happened. Let's go talk to them. Together." Josie lets out a deep sigh as she pushes herself off the bed with me on her tail. She reaches for the handle to our door as I stop her. "JoJo," I grab her hand and pull her to me engulfing her into a hug. Being in her arms feels like home. "Thank you." We rock back and forth until I reluctantly release her from my grip. "Are we good?" I know we just finished talking but I want to make sure. "Yes, Penny. We are good." I follow her out of the room with a smile on my face, our fingers locked together between us.  
Lizzie is sitting next to Hope on the couch with her head resting on Hope's shoulder. My eyes trail down to see Hope's hand is laying lightly on Lizzie's leg. I give Josie's hand a quick squeeze. "It'll be okay. Just talk to them." My words visibly relax Josie. "Hey guys." Lizzie lifts her head up to look back at us but Hope's hand stays put. Neither one of them seems to notice. "Hey Jo." Lizzie and Hope both smile at us as I sit against the opposite end of the couch and pull Josie over to me. It is a tight fit but the four of us make it work. We all know Josie wants to speak so we patiently wait. "I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. I just freaked out and took it out on you both. Thank you for helping me find my girl." I love that. My girl. I do my best to keep the blush off my face. "We're good, Josie." Hope turns to look at me. "Did she tell you what she tried to do though?" I cock my head around to look at Josie waiting for her response. Her eyes go big as I wait for a response. "They blocked me from trying to find you and I might have tried to fire spell my way out of here. But, Hope stopped me." I can feel the nervous energy she is giving off waiting for my reaction. I wrap my arms around her waist and place a light kiss on her shoulder. "That's my little pyromaniac." I got the reaction I wanted. Lizzie, Hope, and I all laugh while Josie attempts to pout through her smile.  
When our laughter dies down, I lightly poke Josie to get her attention but ask in our heads, "Can I harass them now? Please?" Josie rolls her eyes at me and then turns to her sister and best friend. "I'm just going to apologize in advance for this." She closes her eyes and waits for me to start. "So, when were you going to tell us you two were a thing?" Both of them immediately turn red as Hope attempts to retract her hand from Lizzie's leg but Lizzie stops her. She places her hand on top of Hope's and locks their fingers together.  
They both are avoiding our eye contact. "Eventually." Josie pipes in after her sister's snarky comment, "Hope, we are best friends who tell each other everything. And Lizzie. You too. You are my twin. You didn't have to hide this from us." They both nod their heads but Lizzie is the one to ask, "How long have you known?" Josie and I share a knowing look before returning our attention to them. "We assumed since I got back. But, we also found you two all snuggled up in Lizzie's bed a couple weeks ago." Hope smirks while Lizzie looks embarrassed.  
She turns to Hope confused at her reaction before smacking her arm and putting two and two together. "You knew!" Hope raises her hands in defense of herself. "To be fair, I only heard them. I didn't see them." Lizzie rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Yeah, okay, Mikaelson. You definitely knew it was them. Who else would it have been?" Josie and I can't help but laugh at their bickering. "Could have been worse, it could have been your Dad." Lizzie and Josie both cringe at the thought. He has walked in on Josie and me being super close plenty of times so we already have experienced it. Josie leans her head back against my shoulder. "They are cute together." We both continue watching them banter. "Yeah, but we are cuter." Josie lets out a small giggle. "Yeah, we are."  
Josie POV-  
The four of us left Virginia Beach two days later. We spent the rest of our time there essentially double dating. Lizzie and Hope stopped hiding their relationship from us. It was the perfect ending to our trip. Hope jumped into the driver's seat with Lizzie at her side again. The drive back was relaxing. Penelope and I each had in our headphones and watched out the window. Lizzie fell asleep with her head resting against the window. Hope had her hand intertwined lightly with Lizzie's resting on the center console between them. Penelope and I both agreed that we hadn't seen them so happy in a very long time. They both are lighter around each other.  
We pulled into the school parking lot and all walked into the school, Penelope holding my hand and Hope holding Lizzie's. We step through the front doors right as Dad comes running down the hall. Lizzie and Hope jump back from each other immediately before flushing red. Dad looks confused at their reaction but shakes it off. "Thank god you all are back. I was just about to call you. We have a problem. I need you four to come with me." We drop our suitcases at the door and follow my Dad to his office.

Penelope POV-  
The four of us sit down on the opposite side of Dr. Saltzman's desk. He sits down in his chair and flashes a nervous smile. He is a terrible liar. "We have a bit of a problem. We have a hoard of Wendigos headed our way. One of my scouts found them a couple hundred miles from here. They probably were just released from Malivore." I tighten my grip on Josie's hand. "You okay? We can handle this." Her shoulders drop slightly as she releases the tension in them. Josie gives my hand two quick squeezes. "Yeah, still makes me nervous." I drop my eye contact with Josie to look at Hope. She stands up suddenly and begins to pace back and forth. "Do we know anything about Wendigos? How long until they arrive? It is just us here right now." You can practically see the smoke coming out of Hope's ears as the gears in her head spin. "Hope," Lizzie catches Hope's hand as she passes in front of her. She looks down at the sudden contact and freezes. She mumbles out a quiet sorry before taking her seat again next to Lizzie.  
"We don't have much knowledge on Wendigos. You arrived about an hour after I got the call so I haven't had time to check the library. Will you four go do some research? I believe we have about 36 hours until they will attack. I need to call Caroline then I will come join you." That was our cue to leave. The four of us shuffled out of his office and to the library.  
Josie POV-  
We have been in the library for about four hours now. It is quiet. None of the students have returned yet because Christmas is in two days. Lizzie stands up quickly pushing her chair back causing it to crash to the floor. "How can there only be three books ever mentioning Wendigos? And none of them explain how to kill one!" She drops the book down onto the table that she was holding and storms out of the room. I get ready to go after her when Hope places her hand on my arm. "I got it." She stands up to follow Lizzie out of the room.  
I drop my hands down into my lap and lean my head against Penelope's. "This is not what I had in mind for the rest of our Christmas Break." She lets out a small laugh. "Yeah, I'll make it up to you when all of this is over though." I lift my head up to look at her. "You don't have to, Pen. This is just our life. Monsters happen." She reaches over and interlocks her fingers with mine. "Oh well, I like spoiling you." She has never stopped giving me butterflies. I lean forward closing the distance between us with a huge smile on my face. Her free hand moves behind my neck pulling me even closer to her. Penelope pushes her chair back a couple inches as I step across her lap. My arms wrap around her neck as Penelope moves her way down from my lips to my collarbone lightly tugging at my shirt. Chills run down my body that is desperate for her touch.  
The door clicks open behind us as Hope lightly pushes Lizzie through it. Her jaw drops as she lifts her head to look at us. "My eyes!" She quickly covers her face with her hands. "Stop groping my sister!" Hope steps around her laughing as I detach myself from Penelope and move to sit down in my own chair again. It takes a couple of seconds for our hearts to stop racing. Hope sits down across from us at the table still laughing. Lizzie is still standing by the door with her back to us. "Liz, they are done now. Come on," Hope pats next to her. A few incoherent words were said under Lizzie's breath talking about having to bleach her eyeballs as she sat down next to Hope.  
I turn my head to look at Penelope who is still smirking. Her attention turns to me as I say in our heads, "Babe, why are you still grinning like that?" Our quick make out session still had me a bit flustered. Hope and Lizzie are both watching our silent conversation. "Because I got the girl. I don't care who knows it." I wish everyone could see her like this. She leaves me speechless and she knows it. She is so smooth with her words.  
Dad chooses the perfect time to come back. He comes into the library, book in hand. "Found it." Hope extends her hand as he flips to the right page. "What's it say?" Lizzie's voice is so gentle with Hope. "Wendigos. Eats human flesh. Enjoys the hunt of stalking it's prey. It has a heart of ice so this book says there are two methods to try. An extreme amount of fire to completely disintegrate the Wendigo or stabbing it with a silver stake in the heart, breaking the heart up, burying it in a silver box, then the body must be destroyed so fire can be used. Not many have lived to tell how they killed a Wendigo so it will be a lot of guessing." Hope finishes speaking leaving us in silence.  
"Well, that sounds..fun." Lizzie lets out a deep sigh. Dad pipes in, "I think we might have some silver stakes and a silver box in the Armory. I can head down there and find them. Hope, will you do a little training with everyone right now? Fire and staking." Everyone referencing Penelope, Lizzie, and me. "Yeah, I can." Dad gets up from his seat and leaves. "Let's go." We all follow Hope out to the huge field that is between the woods and the school.  
Penelope POV-  
"Josie, you are going easy on Penelope! Your fire spells are a lot stronger than that." Hope steps away from Lizzie to walk over to us. "I am not." Josie places her hands on her hips with a slight pout. "I beg to differ. Penelope go spar with Lizzie. Josie, you're sparring with me now." I step back letting Hope get closer. I walk over to Lizzie. "This should be entertaining." Josie and Hope both raise their hands ready to spar as Lizzie and I sit down on the ground to watch the show.  
"Come on, babe, burn her ass." Josie glances over at me after hearing my comment in her head. She turns back to Hope with a new determination. We all know Josie is the best with fire and we will need this come tomorrow night. Hope steps forward closing the distance between them as Josie pulls magic from her bracelet. She barely avoids the punch Hope throws at her as a huge wall of fire forms easily three feet wide between them preventing further physical attack. Hope smirks, "Told you." Lizzie and I bust out laughing. "Babe, you were going easy on me." Josie drops the fire wall. "I didn't want to hurt you." Of course she doesn't. I stand up off the grass and begin to walk over to her. I speak out loud so Hope can hear me too. "Well, show us what you got." I offer her my hand to take some magic from then step back next to Hope with my hand raised towards her.  
Josie throws fireball after fireball with fire walls to prevent double teaming. Hope and I can barely take a shot at her. I look down to see that my arm got singed a couple times but Josie doesn't know that yet. "Damn Jo, fire is definitely your speciality." Lizzie begins to walk over to us. Hope, Josie, and I are breathing heavy still. "Good job, Josie, you're going to be our biggest asset." Hope pulls out her phone to check for missed messages. Josie looks exhausted. I walk over and pull her into me. "You're amazing, JoJo. My little pyromaniac." She pushes me off her jokingly. "Don't make me smite you."  
Josie POV-  
The sun has set completely and we have about 24 hours until the Wendigos are estimated to arrive. "Hope, I have an idea." The four of us are laying in the grass looking up at the stars taking a quick break. "What's your idea, Jo?" She props herself up to look at me. "I could hear Pen's thoughts when we were fighting which made it easier to counter her strikes. What if we replicated the spell Pen and I have to match for the four of us? It would help when we battle tomorrow especially since we have less help than we would like." Penelope is beaming next to me. She already heard my thought. Lizzie cuts in before Hope can answer, "But, won't that mean that I will hear both of your unfiltered thoughts?" A look of disgust crosses Lizzie's face as Hope runs her fingers up and down her arm. "Liz, it's honestly a pretty good idea. We can test it out and practice some fighting with it now. If we really don't like it, we remove it. And after the fight you can remove it no matter what." Lizzie raises her hands to her face and covers her eyes. "Fine, but if one dirty thought comes out of either of your minds, I get to hit you." We all nod our heads in agreement while simultaneously laughing at Lizzie's comment. "I'm going to get hit a lot cause damn, you looked good fighting us." Penelope's words fill my head. I lean over and quickly kiss her as Lizzie groans. "This is going to be a rough twenty four hours."  
We all sit cross legged in a circle as we get ready to create our group mind reading tattoo. "This feels like a cult initiation." Hope drops her head down letting out a small chuckle. "Liz, drop it, please. This is necessary. You can survive the day hearing their thoughts." Hope places her hand on Lizzie's leg. "Fine." Penelope pulls out her phone which has our spell typed out in her notes. "Any preference on your tattoo and location?" She looks to Lizzie and Hope who both shrug their shoulders. "Oh, this will be fun." I smack Penelope's leg as her thought crosses through my mind. "No, don't do anything mean. Just do the same thing we have, give Lizzie an H and Hope an L on their wrists." Both girls look at us confused since I hit her leg with no words spoken. Penelope mumbles a quiet "fine" then recites the spell for them. The L appears on Hope's wrist first. "Alaric is going to kill me." That is the first thought we hear of Hope's. They haven't had time to tell him they are dating. The H appears on Lizzie's wrist next.  
Penelope POV-  
I turn to look at Josie who is laughing at Hope's thought. "Alright, can you guys hear me?" Hope and Lizzie both nod. "Great, now don't forget, none of your thoughts are filtered. Everyone will hear everything." Lizzie rolls her eyes at me but looks down to her wrist. She runs her thumb over the H slowly. "I love this. It's so cute." Hope looks over at Lizzie. "You're cute." Josie and I both share a knowing look before returning our gaze to the lovebirds. I decide to speak out loud to cut the conversation. "Before any further comments are made, this is a two way street. We all keep our comments about our significant other out of our heads as best we can, yes?" Even in the dark you can see Hope and Lizzie's cheeks turn red. Hope stands up and offers Lizzie her hand. "Let's go do a little group training in the gym then we'll call it a night. I want to test out this mind bond."  
Josie and I are a team against Lizzie and Hope. We break the bond so only the pairs can communicate with each other mentally for this exercise. "Okay, the goal is to do fire and support. Penelope, listen for when Josie needs to siphon more power. I'll do the same for Lizzie." We all nod our heads in agreement. Hope nods her head at me to start. I rattle off the first spell I can think of at Hope who easily blocks it. Josie grabs onto my shoulder and begins siphoning as Lizzie siphons from Hope, she raises her hand back to us. A powerful shockwave catches Josie and I off guard as we fall backwards to the ground. Hope shoots a small ball of fire our way when Josie puts up a fire wall to protect us that engulfs the small flame. This gives us time to get up and prepare. I lock eyes with Josie who runs through our plan in our heads. "I'm going to lower the wall, you run to the right, I'll run to the left. Repeat the spell after me. I'll say it in our heads. It'll create half rings of fire around them. When our halves combine, they will be surrounded and we can link the two halves together. I'm going to run out of magic but we need to be on opposite sides for the spell to work so do your best to hold it until I can come back around to you." I nod my head. Lizzie and Hope I'm sure are expecting an attack. "Let's do this JoJo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	4. We're Family/Time For The Ring Of Fire

Penelope POV-  
Josie and I nod at each other one last time before counting down. She drops the barrier on three as we run to opposite sides as fast as we can avoiding fireballs shot by Lizzie and Hope. "Now!" Josie says the spell in her head for me. We both begin to recite it aloud as two huge walls of fire begin to push forward catching Hope and Lizzie off guard. The two halves connect leaving barely any room for them to move as they throw up a protective boundary around them.  
I can feel more and more power being drained from me as Josie stops supporting the spell. She's running out of magic. "Jo, come over here. You need magic." Josie takes a step back from the fire wall and begins to make her way over to me. She drops a hand onto my shoulder and begins to siphon. I grit my teeth together in frustration. I can feel the spell slipping, "I don't think I can hold it much longer, JoJo." My body is exhausted. I can feel when Josie begins to help again. Even though she is taking from me, it is less exhausting. We stand there holding the fire barrier for a couple more seconds. "Alright, they know we won. Let's drop it." I stop pushing magic as Josie drops her hands to her sides.  
Josie POV-  
Hope and Lizzie drop their protective spell when the fire is extinguished. I turn to look at Penelope who is smirking in their direction. The timer runs out on our spell to divide the connection as Hope's words cut through, "Holy shit, Josie. Where did you learn that spell?" Lizzie responds next with, "Jo, that was so cool. We are going to demolish those Wendigos." Penelope throws one hand in the air for emphasis. "Why don't I get any credit? It was my magic." The sass resonates in her words even in our heads. "You aren't the fire master. It was definitely Josie's idea." Hope knuckle bumps me. "That will be perfect for tomorrow. How about we work it as a group tomorrow morning a couple of times then rest and prepare for the attack? Say 9 o'clock?" Penelope pulls out her phone to check the time. I look over her shoulder to see. 11:24. I nod my head answering for us. "Perfect. Goodnight guys."  
Penelope and I head up to her room. "Did you grab sleep clothes or you need some?" She digs around in her dresser. "Can I borrow some, please?" Penelope pulls out one of her sleep shirts I used to steal all the time and throws it at me along with some shorts. It doesn't take long for both of us to be cuddled up close together in bed. Her hand is lightly scratching up and down my back as I curl into her as much as possible. I rest my hand on her chest and mindlessly fiddle with her shirt. Penelope lets out a small sigh as she looks to her ceiling. "Can we stay like this forever?" I lift my head to look up at Penelope's face. It gives her feelings away immediately. "What if something happens tomorrow?" It cuts through our minds like butter. I know Hope and Lizzie just heard it too, hopefully they are asleep by now. I speak out loud to provide us with a little more privacy. "No matter what happens, nothing will change between us, Penny. We can take some of Hope's blood before the battle. If something happens, we will figure it out together. I'm not going anywhere." She wraps her arms around me a little tighter as she rests her chin against the top of my head. "Okay, JoJo." Exhaustion takes over from the magical drain we exerted earlier. Penelope's grip loosens slightly on me as she dozes off. The steady beating of her heart lulling me to sleep.  
Penelope POV-  
I was only asleep a couple of hours when I became incapable of sleeping any longer. My thoughts were running rampant. If I die, I won't be able to do magic anymore. Josie said nothing will change but that would be a really big change. A voice interrupts my thoughts. "Why are you up, P?" Hope. "Why are you up?" I try to turn it back around to her. I don't know how much of my thoughts she heard. "I always wake up about this time every night. Then I heard your thoughts. Want to talk about it?" I look down to see Josie is still sound asleep. Her mouth is slightly open as she exhales sending air across my shirt. At least my thoughts aren't waking her up. "Could you meet me in the hallway? Would rather talk out loud than wake our girlfriends with our thought conversation." I carefully try to peel Josie off of me. "Yep, one second." I push my pillow into my vacant spot and watch as Josie wraps her arms around it instead. I pause for a second. I'm looking at my entire world laying in my bed. My soulmate.  
I slip out my bedroom door and turn to see Hope doing the same. All of our rooms are on the same hallway only doors down from each other. "Hey P." I place my back against the wall outside my room and slide down it until I hit the floor. Hope walks over and joins me. "So, start talking because your thoughts are still running." She turns her head to look at me waiting for a response. I interlock my hands and dangle them over my knees. "Magic is my life, Hope. I've grown up with it. If I die later, I will lose that side of me and then I'm a vampire. My coven will disown me. But, if I don't take your blood and I die, I lose Jo. What if she doesn't like what I become?" I gasp for air realizing just now that I spit all that out on one breath of air. I keep my eyes locked onto my fingers avoiding eye contact.  
I hate feeling vulnerable like this and I know Hope is the same way as me. "P, you and Jo are meant to be. And Josie loves you. Lizzie and I have talked numerous times about how happy you make each other. Even if you lose your magic, you will not lose her. And we will do everything we can to help you if you die and you know that. Whatever happens, we're family. You won't lose us. I know that is your biggest concern over your coven because that is what I keep hearing come from your head. We are here for you, P." I nod my head slowly. I know that I will have the best support from them if I need it. Hope bumps my shoulder with hers lightly. "Your girl is starting to stir, you should probably get back to her." I turn to look back at my bedroom door over my shoulder before finally making eye contact with her. "Thank you, Hope. I'll see you in a couple of hours." With that, I stand up and head into my room.  
Josie opens her eyes squinting at me as I click the door shut. "Where'd you go Penny?" I cross the couple of steps to my bed and move my pillow back to its rightful spot as I lay down. Josie immediately scoots closer to me, wrapping one arm across my torso and one leg over mine. "I was just talking to Hope, we both were just thinking about later." She adjusts her head to look up, her chin resting on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" Her voice is still raspy from sleeping as she furrows her eyebrows waiting for my response. "Always when I'm with you, JoJo." A small smile crosses her face. "Can we go back to sleep now?" I nod my head as she nuzzles into my shoulder. I can tell she is about to drift off when the words leave her mouth quietly. "I love you, Penny." My girl. The one who calms the storm in my head. "I love you too, JoJo."  
Josie POV-  
I run my hand across the sheets next to me as I blink my eyes open. Penelope's arm is tucked around my waist holding me against her. I begin to run my fingertips up and down her arm creating goosebumps until she starts to stir. I pull her arm away from me so I can rotate sides to see her then tuck my face under her chin. She pulls me tightly against her. "Hi Pen," I lightly kiss her neck before lifting my head to look at her. That signature smirk crosses her face as she looks down at me. "Hi JoJo." She has a slight squint as she adjusts to the light flooding through the window.  
I close my eyes and enjoy the warmth she is giving off while she holds me. "Can you check the time, Jo?" I pull out one of my arms that was pressed to her chest to reach behind her for her phone. "We need to get moving. It's pushing 8:30 already." I drop the phone as she flips me to my back pinning me down. A small squeal escapes my lips at the sudden movement. "5 minutes." She gives me one more mischievous glance before dropping her full weight onto me. "Penny, what are you doing?" No response as she just giggles. I wrap my arms around her back laughing the entire time. I try to take in this moment, remembering every little detail. We sit there like that a couple more minutes before reluctantly getting ready for our session with Hope and Lizzie.  
"Okay, so this is the spell." I wrote it down on a sheet of paper for everyone to see. "How did you find this again?" Hope reads through the Latin. "I actually created it." Lizzie, Hope, and Penelope's heads all pop up to look at me with their jaws ajar. "You created this heavy duty fire wall spell by yourself in your spare time?" Penelope sounds impressed with her comment. "You guys know I like fire, I don't know what to tell you. I couldn't find a spell that could surround someone that wasn't just a tiny flame. I wanted something bigger. So, I made one." It actually took a long time to perfect it. The first time I effectively made it work was with Penelope. It is easier to control and create with more than one person. "Okay let's work on this."  
The four of us set up three dummies in the middle of the school parking lot away from cars. Lizzie stood next to Hope on one side while Penelope and I stood on the other side of the dummies. Hope started the countdown in our heads. "Now!" Lizzie and I begin siphoning from our partner then recite the spell. Our two halves of the ring appear and begin to surround the dummies. We can all feel when the two halves have connected. "Okay, let's drop it." All of us stop pushing the magic and the fire wall dissipates. Our mind connection cuts through all background noise even the sizzling fire. This will hopefully be super effective for fighting the Wendigos. "That was perfect. The dummies are slightly crispy. Jo, what if we need to close the ring on them? How do we do that?" I lift up my hand to show the motion. "Start with an open palm. The ring will get smaller as your hand becomes a fist. It will work best when our magic isn't competing against each other for sizing. Once we have established the ring, we can collectively close it." We all nod our heads in agreement. "Let's try it once more then we will call it for now."  
Penelope POV-  
I jump up onto the kitchen counter across from the fridge to sit as Josie reaches in for four waters. She tosses one to Lizzie and Hope before standing between my legs with her back against the counter. Our minds are silent until Lizzie's thought pushes through. "When will we know they are here?" I turn to look at Hope for an answer. "Dr. Saltzman will call us I think. We can go check with him though." The school is so quiet right now. It is such a change from the usual chatter and screeching from students. Josie leans back against me as I wrap my arm around her. We can all feel the nervous energy we are giving off.  
Following the initial predictions, the Wendigos should arrive in a couple of hours. We step into Alaric's office to find him on the phone. "Yes Caroline. I know. I will keep you posted." He hangs up the phone and sets it down on his desk before addressing us. "Merry Christmas Eve. Are you ready?" We nod our heads as his phone begins to ring again. "Yes? Already? Shit. Thank you." He throws down his phone and stands up pushing his chair back against the wall. "They are coming up on the school barrier. We need to prep, now." He pulls a book on his bookcase to reveal a hidden weapons compartment. Alaric grabs his crossbow and silver arrows before following us out of the room.  
Hope runs through the plan with us once more. "We will have the advantage if we force them to our playing ground. Once they break through the school's security, we will attempt to maneuver them together. Once we round them up, we toast them." We push out through the main doors and jog over to the empty field between the woods and the school. "Here," Hope bites into her wrist and gives Lizzie, Josie, and me her blood. She looks each of us in the eyes as she speaks in our heads. "Always and forever." We know how important that saying is to Hope. The four of us have bonded so much in the past couple of weeks. We are family. We repeat it back in unison. "Always and forever."

Josie POV-  
The four of us face in the direction of the front gate waiting for the Wendigos. Penelope reaches over and grabs my hand interlocking our fingers. I break my view away from the gate to look at Penelope. I can tell she is nervous. "I love you." I squeeze her hand in response. "I love you too, Pen." We both turn back towards the gate to see Hope and Lizzie sharing similar words.  
The gate is thrown open as four Wendigos begin to run forward towards us. We still aren't sure what they are going for since Malivore already has the urn and the knife. I look over my shoulder to see Dad kneeling with his crossbow scope to his eye ready to shoot. No words are spoken, Wendigos have exceptional hearing, but we don't know what they can understand. We stay quiet only talking in our heads. Hope and Lizzie begin to step to our left as Penelope and I move to the right. I begin siphoning from Penelope as they draw closer to us. I hear Hope in my head. "They look like they are separating. Force them between us as best you can. Good luck." We all nod in understanding. I give Penelope's hand one more quick squeeze before dropping it and raising my hands towards the Wendigos.  
Penelope POV-  
Two of the Wendigos head straight for Josie and me. We both begin shooting off fire balls to test the damage affect. One of them makes contact causing the Wendigo to screech out in pain, a god awful sound. It recovers quickly continuing its previous pace. "Looks like the fireballs don't have lasting effects. We need to truly burn them." Lizzie cuts through our heads. "Yep, we noticed the same thing." Josie drops her hand onto my shoulder to take some more magic before raising her arm towards one of the Wendigos. She sends it flying between the four of us. "What spell did you just use?" Josie doesn't take her eyes off the Wendigo she just threw. She says the spell in our heads.  
Josie and I end up back to back as we attempt to push the Wendigos to the center of the circle. Josie quickly reaches back wrapping her left arm around my waist pressing my back against hers as she siphons more magic. I look down at her hand on my waist for a second too long as my Wendigo got close enough to strike. Its' claws rake across my arm tearing my shirt and leaving me wincing in pain. I quickly say the spell to send it flying back. "Well that hurt." Josie could hear it in my voice as she tried to turn around to see me. She sees the tattered shirt and begins to freak out a little trying to help. "I'm okay, just keep going Jo. We need to stop them." We both send our Wendigos flying towards the middle again as I say a quiet healing spell to speed up the process that Hope's blood is already doing. Josie's gaze doesn't leave until she sees the gashes turn into faint white lines on my arm.  
Josie and I separate ourselves by a couple of feet and manage to throw our two Wendigos between us. "Now!" We both say the fire spell and attempt to close the two fire halves together. We can feel them connect as Josie walks over to me, just like we did against Hope and Lizzie. "Look out!" Lizzie's voice cuts through our thoughts. We turn and look to see the two Wendigos that were attacking Hope and Lizzie are targeting us now. Josie and I drop our fire wall to defend against the newcomers. We tried it three more times. Each time the Wendigos not captured in the fire ring would charge whichever one of us was using magic. Alaric has been trying to shoot his silver arrows but none of them have made a direct hit to the Wendigos' hearts. They heal almost immediately so it hasn't been effective.  
We are all getting exhausted. Each of our movements getting slower by the second. "We need to do this at the same time. They are too fast. It is near impossible to get them to stay in the same spot that long and dividing them up hasn't worked." Hope begins to countdown in our heads, each of us picking our target. "Now!" We each pick up our Wendigo and launch it between us sending them all crashing into each other. "Time for the ring of fire." Josie places her hand on my shoulder to siphon as we both raise one hand. The two halves of the fire wall begin to form surrounding the Wendigos. We push the two halves together feeling when it connects. "Okay, palm open, now start to close into a fist." The ring of fire begins to get smaller closing in on the Wendigos. The smell of burning flesh fills the surrounding air as screeches pierce the semi quiet morning.  
I see movement out of the corner of my eye on Josie's side. I turn my head to see that one of the Wendigos escaped before the two fire halves connected. It sprints towards us with its' target being Josie. I drop my part on the fire boundary knowing that Hope, Lizzie, and Josie can handle it. I throw my arm around Josie pushing her behind me as I lift my other towards the Wendigo but I am too late. It crashes into me sending me skidding into the grass with it on top.  
"Pen!" Her words slice through my head. I see her get ready to break her part of the spell too. "No, Jo! Finish the ring! We've almost finished this!" I place my hand on the Wendigos chest trying to push it off me as it snaps it's teeth dangerously close to my neck. It's claws connect with my torso shredding through my skin sending a crushing pain throughout my entire body. These cuts are a lot deeper than earlier. I can feel my grip on reality slipping. I will all of my magic to push out of my hand which sends a localized fire beam through its chest. A huge cauterized hole is left where a heart should be. The Wendigo's body goes limp as I use my last effort to push it off me.  
Josie POV-  
My focus was solely on the ring that I didn't see the escaped Wendigo. It launches into Penelope sending them crashing to the ground. "Pen!" I turn my attention to my girl forgetting everything else. "No, Jo! Finish the ring! We've almost finished this!" It takes everything in me to turn my head back towards the screaming Wendigos. "Let's do this, closed fist, now." The three of us completely close the ring searing the last remains of the three Wendigos trapped inside. We hold it for a couple more seconds to make sure it worked before dropping it. Penelope cries out in pain behind me making me want to drop to my knees at the sounds that are leaving her. I release my grip on the fire ring and turn around to see a fire beam shoot through the Wendigo that is on top of Penelope. Its' heart flies out of its chest and lands near Dad. I rush over to Penelope and flick my wrist to send the Wendigo body toppling off her.  
I kneel down next to Penelope and now notice the blood that is pooling out of her. "Pen, Penny, it's going to be okay. Look at me." She is having trouble keeping her eyes open. I press my hands down onto her wound but it is too large of a slice that it is useless. "Penny, it's going to be okay but you need to look at me. Stay with me, Pen!" She lifts her hand off the ground and grips my arm lightly. "It's okay, JoJo. I've come to terms with it." Her words are quiet and come out slow through ragged breathes. "I'm not leaving you through this, okay? No matter what." Penelope forces a small smile. "I know Jo, I love-," Her eyes roll to the back of her head as her hand slides of my arm limp.  
My hands are covered in blood. "No, no, no." I stand up slowly and look down to see I am covered in her blood. Hope and Lizzie come running over to us. "Jo," they approach with caution surveying the scene unfolding before them, unsure of how I am going to react. "I didn't see it, I didn't see it coming, I-," I turn my attention back to the body of the dead Wendigo and raise my hand towards it. All of my rage and pain builds up needing an outlet. Any magic left in me forces itself out of my hand and towards the Wendigo corpse covering it in hot flames. We all watch the body turn to ash after about a minute of burning. I drop to my knees after the flames go out, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I didn't see it coming."  
I crawl back over to Penelope and grab ahold of her hand not caring about the blood. "Jo, can I carry her back to the school?" Hope kneels down next to me slowly. I can't get any words out so I just nod my head. I place Penelope's hand back on the ground as Hope picks her up. I walk with Hope back to the school leaving Lizzie and Dad to finish destroying the dead Wendigos' hearts and to disperse the ashes. Hope lays Penelope down in one of the infirmary beds before turning to me and opening her arms. I gladly step into her embrace as the rest of my tears freely flow out of my eyes. "She'll wake up soon, Jo. It'll be okay. There are some human blood bags in the infirmary fridge for when she wakes up." I step back from her. "Thank you, Hope." She nods her head before leaving the room.  
I step next to Penelope's infirmary bed and begin to pull off the tattered shirt she was wearing leaving her in a blood soaked sports bra. The cuts have already started to heal. I grab some gauze and hydrogen peroxide to carefully wipe around the cuts to clean up the dried blood. Some of this will have to wait for a shower but for now this will do. I push a strand of hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear. "I love you too, Pen."  
I pull up a chair to sit down next to her head. I grab her hand and interlock our fingers resting them on the bed. Now it is just a waiting game. Hope, Lizzie, and Dad push in the infirmary door slowly and enter the room. "Hey Jo, how's she doing?" Dad is still carrying his crossbow as he walks over to my side pulling me in for a side hug. "I cleaned up some of the blood but she hasn't woken up yet." Hope walks over to the opposite side of the bed and looks down at the now closed cuts. "She should wake up soon. Her wound closed up completely." I force a smile at Hope as Dad steps back. "I'm going to go call your Mom to let her know the Wendigos are dead. I'll come check on all of you later." He readjusts his crossbow in his hand then leaves.  
Lizzie and Hope both pull up seats to sit on the opposite side of Penelope's bed across from me. "Did you guys take care of them?" They nod their heads at me. "We dispersed the ashes in the lake and buried the hearts in the silver box in the woods. They won't be coming back." I lightly trace circles on Penelope's hand with my thumb. I can't help but think, "If I had just seen the Wendigo, Pen wouldn't have died." I wasn't expecting a comment. Lizzie reaches her hand across the bed to take mine. "Jo, it is not your fault. It is the Wendigos fault. Penelope wouldn't want you blaming yourself." A single tear rolls down my cheek. "I know she didn't want this."  
Penelope POV-  
I take a huge gasp of air as I try to sit up. "Woah, P, stay laying down." Hope's hand on my arms coaxes me back down. I immediately start looking for Josie. I feel her hand in mine as I lock eyes with her. "Hey JoJo." She jumps out of her chair and wraps her arms around my neck. "You're okay," Josie mumbles it into my neck more in reassurance of herself than for me. "I'm okay." She releases her grip on my neck and stands up next to me with her hands on my shoulder. Her clothes are covered in blood. I look down to see my sports bra is covered too as are my pants. "What happened?" Then it floods back. I lift my hand and run it over the lines on my stomach remembering the Wendigo. "They probably won't scar. It should fade soon." Hope stands up from her chair and walks over to the fridge pulling out a bag of blood.  
I reach up and rub my neck as it starts to burn when I think about the blood. "You need to feed, Pen." I look up to Josie whose eyes are only filled with love and concern. My thoughts flood into her mind. "You'll still love me?" I can see her heart break a little at my question. "I'm not going anywhere, Penny. It's us until the end." I nod my head and swallow hard as Hope hands me the bag of blood. I give one more look to Josie waiting for her consent. She nods her head at me. "It's okay, Pen. Go ahead." I uncap the bag and drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	5. Coffee and Christmas/I Don't Want To Hurt You

Josie POV-  
Penelope places the blood bag in her mouth and begins drinking it all the while checking with me every step of the way. Underneath her eyes begins to ripple with black veins. When she pulls it away from her lips, she opens her mouth and cocks her head as her new teeth cut through her gums. She quickly tries to hide her mouth from me with her hand. "Pen, no. It's okay." I take her hand away from her mouth and interlock our fingers instead. Hope places a hand on Penelope's arm. "Breathe through it. They'll go back in." It takes a second but her teeth retract and the veins under her eyes disappear. "Feel better?" I rub small circles on her hand with my thumb. "Yeah, Jo." She forces a smile.  
We all sit in silence surrounding Penelope. She pulls her hand out of mine and presses it to her temple. "There are so many noises." We all look up at her. None of us know what she is experiencing but we can hear her thoughts on the overstimulation. Hope is probably the most sympathetic right now since she has her wolf hearing but it's not the same thing. Dad walks in with his phone still in hand. "Here, I'll put her on." He walks over to Penelope and hands her the school phone. Caller ID says Caroline. "Penelope, Caroline wanted to talk to you. Hope, Lizzie, let's give them some privacy." He gestures for them to follow him out of the room. I turn to Penelope as they leave. "Do you want me to leave, too?" She shakes her head no before taking my hand in hers. "You said we'll do this together. I want you here." She readjusts the phone in her hands then hits the speaker button.  
"Penelope? Josie?" Mom's voice cuts through the phone speaker sending my heart racing. It has been months since I've seen her, and I miss her so much. "Hey Mom, we are here." Penelope scoots over on her infirmary bed and pats next to her. "Come on, JoJo, come up here." I push myself out of my chair and join her on the bed, snuggling into her side. "I just wanted to talk to you girls and see how you are doing. Penelope, there are going to be a couple major changes for you. You have probably already noticed the hypersensitivity. You will learn to block out the extra sounds and I can work with you when I get back." My face lights up at this. "Wait, you're coming home, Mom?" She lets out a small chuckle through the phone. "Yes sweetie, I will get there the day after Christmas." Lizzie's voice cuts through my head. "Mom is coming home? Yay!" Penelope and I laugh as her excitement radiates through our bond. "Lizzie knows now, too."  
Mom waits for us to quiet down before continuing. "The blood lust will feel overwhelming for the first couple weeks but it will decrease with time and get easier. Just try to keep that in mind. Now for both of you," Penelope rubs up and down my arm waiting for Mom to continue. "It is going to be a bit of a learning curve for your relationship but if you need anything, either of you can come to me. I'm here to help." Penelope turns her head to look at me waiting for my response. "Thank you, Mom. We'll see you soon. I love you." "I love you too sweetie." The phone clicks off as Penelope drops it into her lap.  
I move my hand across her stomach lightly tracing where her cuts were. Penelope's eyes follow my movements. I look up to meet her gaze. "Are you ready to go upstairs? We can get you out of this infirmary room since you are all healed now." I slide off the bed and take her hand. Her thoughts flood our connection again. "My throat. It's burning again." The black veins under her eyes reappear. I walk over to the fridge and grab another blood bag. "Drink up, Pen."  
Penelope POV-  
The stinging sensation in my throat eventually begins to fade after my third blood bag. I throw it in the trash can and grab Josie's hand leading her out of the infirmary. We head up the stairs to find Lizzie and Hope sitting on the floor between my room and the twin's room. "How are you feeling, P?" They both radiate concern as they look up at us. "Better." Josie beats me to asking, "Why are you sitting in the hallway?" They both look at each other before their thoughts hit us. "We just want to make sure you both are alright." Lizzie opens her mouth to continue the conversation aloud. "Can we do a sleepover? The four of us in our room? We could put on a movie. It's just been a long day." Lizzie and Hope are looking at me to respond but I turn to Josie. "Is that alright, JoJo?" She nods her head. "If it gets too much for you, tell me and we can go to your room." Lizzie and Hope hop off the ground and open the twins' door as we follow them inside.  
Josie throws me one of her hoodies and sleep shorts so I don't have to go back to my room. Lizzie puts on Harry Potter which is one of Josie's favorites. Lizzie and Hope snuggle together in their bed while I pull Josie tight against me in hers. Even as I laid dying in that field, all I could think about was losing Josie. How she would cope with the change. I keep her as close as possible to me.  
We are about halfway through the movie when Josie begins tracing her finger along the J on my wrist lightly. I know she has been hearing my fearful thoughts. She curls into me more reminding me of her presence. She stirs a little in my arms as she leans back to look up at me. Her words come out quietly. "I'm not going anywhere, Penny." Her words help but I am still overthinking. I try to prevent my racing thoughts by focusing on all of the noises I can now hear. The tv has a slight buzz. The wind outside is whistling through the trees. I can only imagine the sounds I will hear when the school is full of students again.  
It is hard for me to focus on the rest of the movie. I'm scared to take my eyes off Josie like if I do she'll be gone. A look of realization crosses Josie's face as she leans over me to look at Lizzie and Hope. "Did you want us to break the mind connection now?" Josie has been listening to me ramble in my head this entire time surely thinking about the fact that Hope and Lizzie can hear me too. Lizzie lifts her head to look at Hope before sharing a similar expression. They drop their eye contact to look back at us. "Not yet. Lizzie and I were talking earlier and we think it will be beneficial for us to keep it with you both for a little longer. That way, we can continue being open and honest without interference. Is that okay?" I nod my head. I know they are all concerned about me and Hope said they would all do their best to help me through this. They are my family.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope kept me held tight against her all night but I can't complain. I always sleep best in her arms. I open my eyes in the morning to meet Penelope's tired ones. "Penny, did you sleep?" She nods her head but her thought passes to me. "Not enough. I'm afraid to wake up and find you gone." This has been a constant battle with her. Her mind tells her I'm going to leave even as I stand in her arms telling her I'm right there. I nuzzle my head into her neck before pulling back quickly. "Wait, it's Christmas!" I pull out of her grasp and roll out of the bed landing on my feet. Penelope collapses onto her back letting out an airy laugh as she tries to stay quiet. "Babe, why can't we stay in bed a little longer? I think we deserve it plus Hope and Lizzie aren't even up yet." I grab my hoodie off my desk chair and throw it on. "Yet." I stand at the foot of their bed debating on how to wake them. Penelope motions for me to come back to her mouthing the words, "I have an idea."  
Penelope holds her finger up to her lips as she talks in our heads knowing it will cut through any dreams they are having. "JoJo, Lizzie and Hope won't even know we are having sex. They are sleeping. We could totally get away-," Lizzie shoots out of her bed with her hand covering her eyes. "No! Step away from my sister, Park!" Hope groggily rubs at her eyes waking at Lizzie's outburst. Both Penelope and I can't help but laugh. "Told you it would work." I nod my head. "Yes, you did." I turn my attention to Lizzie and Hope who are both trying to wake up fully. I clap my hands a couple of times. "Now, it's Christmas so get up!" I grab ahold of Penelope's hand and help her out of my bed. She looks at me with a pleading look. "Coffee?" I nod my head. "Coffee."  
Penelope POV-  
We walk out of the twins' room and make our way to the kitchen to find coffee. "Penny, want some blood too?" Josie walks to the blood fridge and pulls out a bag. Hope put a couple human blood bags into this fridge for me while I am still adjusting. Josie turns around and hands it to me, a huge smile on her face even though it is only eight in the morning. "Jo, why don't we skip Christmas? It clearly doesn't matter to you that much." I let out a laugh at Josie's reaction. Her jaw drops and her face gets all squinty. "How dare you?" I grab her wrist pulling her closer to me. "Kidding, babe." Her pouty face breaks into a smile in my arms. I drink my blood bag which numbs the dull ache in my throat. I grab my coffee Josie made me and follow her into the main living space. We sit down on the couch next to the fireplace waiting for everyone else.  
Hope and Lizzie come down minutes later with coffee in hand as well. Alaric follows. Clearly, this is a known routine with this family orchestrated by Josie for Christmas. She is practically vibrating next to me in excitement. "JoJo, shh calm down." I interlock our hands which only does so much. "Okay, time for present exchanges."  
Josie loves Christmas. For her, this holiday allows her to buy for her loved ones something special. We spent the entire morning opening our couple of gifts and enjoying each other's company. Josie leans over to talk to me in my ear. "Do you like it?" I look down at the necklace around my neck. The J has the same font as our tattoos. "I love it JoJo." She drops her head onto my shoulder as she wraps her arms around mine grinning like crazy.  
"Earth to Jo," Lizzie waves her hand in the air to catch our attention. "Yes?" Josie remains close but lifts her head. "Want to go drive around and look at Christmas lights tonight?" This is Josie's other favorite Christmas activity. She turns to me with big doe eyes. "Of course, JoJo. Anything you want." Alaric cuts into our conversation. "Wait, Penelope are you sure you are okay? I'm not sure it is the best idea to be out in public this early as a new vampire. Maybe wait a couple more days to go out." I can feel Josie deflate next to me. I open my mouth to speak but am cut off by Hope. "I'll keep an eye on her. She did a good job all night and this morning." I turn to Hope and thank her in our heads. "Fine, but if anything happens, call me on the school phone immediately. Be careful." He throws his car keys to Hope before leaving the room to answer a phone call.  
The four of us grab some snacks from the kitchen before piling into Alaric's car right as the sun goes down. We roll the windows down enjoying the cool breeze that blows into the car. Josie and I have a bowl of popcorn sitting between us in the backseat along with some M&M's. We get to one street with a ton of decorated houses and decide to park and walk.  
I take Josie's hand in mine as we walk down the sidewalk. Our shoulders bumping every couple steps. "In the future, I want to decorate my house like these. I love all the lights." Her focus is solely on the lights while mine is on her. "I'll make it happen, Jo." It slips from my mind to hers before I can even attempt to stop it. She turns her head to look over at me with a devilish grin on her face. "You didn't mean to say that." Josie and I used to talk about the future and the potential of us getting married one day when we first dated but we haven't since we got back together. I don't want to make her feel rushed or overwhelmed but I know she's endgame for me. Her eyes continue to watch me. I swallow hard before responding gathering the courage to speak out loud what my thoughts are threatening to spill to her. "My heart is yours, JoJo. It always will be. And yes, I can see myself marrying you one day and helping you decorate our house with Christmas lights. I want to be apart of your future." Josie's eyes get watery as she leaps into my arms. "I love you, Penny. I can see you in my future too. I want you in it." We pull apart enough to rest our foreheads on each other.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope's face drops as she forces her eyes shut. She opens them a second later to show her dilated pupils. The black veins ripple under her eyes. "Jo, back up." I watch as she steps away from me with her hands raised putting distance between us. "Pen, what's happening?" She shakes her head slightly back and forth trying to control the blood lust. Hope comes running back towards us. "Someone cut their finger in their kitchen. I can smell it. P, look at me." Lizzie stands beside me as Hope moves in front of Penelope. "Hope, I need it." She clenches and unclenches her fists next to her. "Breathe, P." Penelope closes her eyes squinting them shut tight. "I need it."  
She shifts her weight ready to run when Hope's voice cuts through the air. "Stop!" Penelope immediately stops moving. "What the hell?" Hope places her hand on Penelope's arm. "You're okay. Calm down. Put your teeth away." Lizzie and I watch as Penelope does exactly what Hope asks. Lizzie leans over to whisper in my ear knowing that our girlfriends can hear us. "Looks like we have a sire bond on our hands."

Josie POV-  
The ride back to the school was quiet. Penelope kept her head pointed towards the window the entire time. Hope looks in the rearview mirror at me and then turns her head to look at Lizzie before speaking in our heads. "No telling your Dad. Nothing happened." We all know he would overreact.  
When we get back to the school, Penelope steps out of the car and heads straight inside without looking back once. Hope and Lizzie fall in line with me stopping me from chasing after her. "Give her some time. This is all still new." I shove my hands into my pockets to avoid fidgeting as we step through the school doors. Penelope must have just missed Dad because he walks into the foyer right as we enter. "How were the lights? Where is Penelope?" We all look between each other trying to come up with the best lie before Dad's eyes lock onto mine. He knows I am a terrible liar. Lizzie's voice floods my head. "Say she had to pee. Don't stutter." I let out a shaky breath of air before speaking. "She really had to go to the bathroom so she ran inside before us. The lights were really pretty, though. Definitely worth the trip." I flash a smile doing my best to hide its forced nature. Dad looks unsure but lets it go. "Okay, well, sleep well girls." He continues on his path away from his office.  
The three of us practically run to the kitchen to avoid any more interrogations from Dad. Lizzie gives me a quick hug once the door shuts. "Good job, Jo. He seemed to believe it." We lean against the counters in silence all feeling the nerves from our night's adventure. "You should probably bring a blood bag or two up to P when you go." I nod my head slowly. I was so ready to chase after her earlier and now I'm worried. Hope grabs two bags out of the fridge and hands them to me. "Go talk to your girl. I'm sure she needs you, Jo." As I'm walking out of the kitchen, Lizzie speaks up. "If you need anything, just let us know. Goodnight, Jo." I glance over my shoulder once more at them before heading up the stairs.  
I knock on Penelope's bedroom door before trying the knob. Locked. "Pen, let me in." I listen for any movement. "You open it, or I do. Your choice." I place my hand on the nearby wall and siphon a little magic. I say the unlocking spell and open the door to find Penelope sitting in the far corner of her room with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. "Don't, don't come in here." Her voice is shaky as she gulps. "Penny, talk to me." I take a couple more steps inside the room and shut the door behind me. "I brought you some blood." I lift the bags into the air to show her. I try to take one more step closer to her but she quickly gets to her feet raising one hand towards me. "Don't come closer, Josie." Why isn't she calling me Jo or JoJo? "Penny, talk to me. Please. I want to help. Tell me how I can help you." She blinks her eyes a couple of times as the black veins appear. She tries to step back further away from me but stumbles into the wall.  
I take one more step closer leaving me only a couple feet away from her. "Stop!" She shuts her eyes tight and drops her head. "Why?" Her hand is still raised towards me as a warning. "Why Penelope?" She used my full name; I'll use hers. I can't control it. Frustration is forcing itself out with my words more and more. I watch as a tear slips its' way out of her eye and hits the wood floor. Her hands relax by her sides as she looks up at me, the black veins gone now. Her voice comes out broken, "What if I hurt you? I don't know what I'd do! I couldn't live with myself if I-," I place the blood bags on her bed before taking another step closer grabbing her hand out of the air with mine. I can tell she is about to break. Her words come out as a whisper. "I don't want to hurt you, JoJo." I close the distance as she collapses in my arms.  
I help lower her to the ground before pulling her into me. She buries her face into my chest stifling her sobs. All of us knew this breakdown was coming. Penelope holds her feelings in until they overflow. We sit there on the ground as I rock her back and forth waiting for her breathing to calm down. "Penny, how about we go to bed?" It takes her a second but she nods her head. She lifts her head off my chest to reveal her puffy eyes. "Come on, Pen." I get her off the ground and sitting onto the bed when I hand her the blood bags again. "Drink these while I get your clothes, okay?" She uncaps the first bag and places it into her mouth while I get everything ready for us to go to bed. Her eyes track me around the room the entire time.  
I place the two empty blood bags in the bathroom then crawl into my side of the bed. Penelope hasn't moved from her spot on the end of the bed but she has her eyes locked onto me still. She's hesitant. "Come here, Penny." I pat next to me before opening my arms waiting for her to come lay down with me. It takes a little coaxing but she finally concedes. Once she is settled into me, I look up at the ceiling and let out a small laugh. "You are so stubborn, you know that?" She lifts her head up and places her chin on my chest wearing a pitiful pout on her face. I lean forward and kiss the tip of her nose. "You're lucky I love you." This makes my girl finally smile. She drops her head back down as she nuzzles into my shoulder. "I love you too."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie is still asleep when the light flooding through my windows wakes me. Somehow in the middle of the night, I ended up on my back with half of Josie's body on top of mine. Her head is resting under my chin with her right arm and leg draped across me. My fingertips trace the J necklace I have around my neck as I lightly scratch Josie's back with my other hand. This has always relaxed her.  
I can hear the change in her heart rate as she starts to wake up. "Hi Penny." Her voice is scratchy as she nuzzles her head back into me. I can't hide the thoughts flooding our connection. She eventually scoots off me and rests her head on her hand. "Talk to me, Pen. Your thoughts are running." I shift to my side and take her hand in mine. It takes me a second to actually look at her. "I'm sorry about last night. I just got scared and," Josie begins rubbing small circles on my hand encouraging me to continue speaking. "If something happened to you, because of me," I trail off again. "Pen, what did I say?" I look down at our hands until she lifts my chin up forcing me to look at her. "It's us until the end. We can handle anything thrown our way as a couple just don't push me away. I want to help. All of us want to help, but you just have to talk to us. It will get easier to control and you already have exhibited better control than most newly turned vampires. All of us can see how hard you are working." She leans forward pressing her forehead against mine. If she wasn't so close she wouldn't have heard me. "I can hear your heartbeat 24/7. I don't tune into anyone else's like this. Not Lizzie, Hope, or your Dad. I just don't want to act on anything." I finally said it. Even when I could smell the blood last night, it was only Josie's heartbeat my brain focused on. I just don't know why. "Pen," she pulls away far enough for my eyes to be able to focus on her. "We'll figure it out. I promise." I nod my head as I pull her back into me. Together, we'll figure all of this out.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope and I stayed in bed all morning. The thoughts in her head finally quieted down until Lizzie's voice filled our heads. "Mom just pulled up!" Penelope drops her grip on me as I roll off the bed and start throwing on clothes. "Come on, Penny." I toss a shirt and pants at her as she stumbles out of the bed. She caught my hand as I grabbed the door handle pulling me away from it. "Pennnn," I drag out her name as she wraps her arms around my waist. "Thank you JoJo, for everything." I lean forward and kiss her lips once before pulling away. "It's us until the end." We walk hand in hand out of her room smiling. If anyone saw us now, there would be no doubt in their minds that we are in love.  
I finally see Mom when I am about halfway down the flight of stairs. I drop Penelope's hand and bound down the rest of them before running into my Mom's arms. "Hey sweetie," she rests her head on mine as Penelope stops a couple feet behind us. When I finally agree to let go, I motion for Penelope to come closer. "Hi Penelope, how are you doing?" I turn to look at my girlfriend as she interlocks our hands together. "I think I'm getting the hang of this whole vampire thing. Jo has been a really big help." Mom has always been extremely supportive of our relationship. She nods her head a little before grabbing her suitcase off the ground. "Do you want to do some blood training later?" Penelope tenses up at the question. I give her hand a quick squeeze. "Sure. Thanks Ms. Forbes." Mom begins heading down the hall to her room. "Meet me outside in thirty."  
Penelope turns her head to the left to look down the opposite hallway clearly having heard something. Hope and Lizzie have their heads popped around the corner to watch us. They both pretend like they weren't snooping as they step around the wall and walk over to us. "So, plans for the day?" Penelope rolls her eyes with a grin on her face. "Blood training."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie steps into my arms. We rock back and forth between our feet as we talk to Hope and Lizzie. They talked to Caroline briefly before we did. Josie tilts her head back to look at me. "Hope should probably come too." Josie's thought hits all of our minds. I look at Hope. "Will you come?" As much as I hate the idea that I'm sired to Hope, I can't control the situation. I can only control my reaction to it. If Hope needs to be there to keep me from hurting Josie, it's a must. "Of course P." We stand around talking a little more before Caroline comes walking out of the kitchen carrying some blood bags. "Let's do this."  
The five of us walk out to the field behind the school. "When was the last time you had blood?" I hadn't had any this morning. "Last night." Caroline nods her head. "Alaric mentioned that you have showed good control. I just want to test a couple things and give you some coping mechanisms." Josie drops my hand and steps back to walk with her Mom as Hope and Lizzie circle back behind me. "Okay, Penelope. I'm going to uncap this bag and spill a little blood on the ground. Just do your best to resist." I swallow thickly as I hear her unscrewing the cap. The wind blows at the perfect time to send the scent directly to me. I can feel the black veins under my eyes begin to ripple. My whole body is telling me to run to the blood. To not care about the consequences. I blink my eyes a couple times trying to push the feeling away. I look up and meet Josie's eyes. Her heartbeat shifts to the forefront of my mind again as I focus on her. I squeeze my hands into tight fists mumbling to myself, "Do it for Jo. I'm okay. Do it for Jo." Josie can't hear me but Hope and her Mom can. I let out one last puff of air before releasing my fists. I look up at Josie knowing the veins have disappeared. My hazel eyes are back.  
Caroline looks shocked. "How did you do that?" She recaps the blood bag and walks over to me. I stumble over my words not managing to get any out. My normal cockiness gone. "Josie was enough of a motivator to stop your blood lust? I've never seen a new vampire have that much control. You just turned." We all turn to look at Josie as her heartbeat increases. None of us say a word. "Should we tell her what happened?" Josie's words fill my mind. She's nervous. I turn to look at Hope. "She will probably respond better than Alaric would and she could help." Lizzie nods her head ever so slightly as we all silently agree. "What are you talking about?" Caroline places her hands on her hips before giving the Mom stare to us all. I turn to Josie. I know she can read my expression. Josie looks to her Mom and starts fiddling with her fingers. "Mom, something happened last night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	6. Sire Bond/Happy

Penelope POV-  
The five of us sit down in a circle in the grass as Josie explains from her point of view what happened last night and how I target her heartbeat to Caroline. She turns to look at me once Josie finishes. "Fill in the gaps. What went through your head? Was it like earlier?" Josie reaches over and places her hand on my knee speaking in our heads. "We're here for you." Lizzie and Hope both nod agreeing with her statement before I started speaking. "Josie and I were talking and looking at the lights when the breeze blew the scent of blood to me. Someone cut their finger I think. I remember closing my eyes trying to block it out when Hope came running over and stepped in front of me. I was about to run to the blood when Hope's words stopped me in my tracks. She told me to put my teeth away and I did. Josie's heartbeat filled my ears again as I calmed down which helped block out the blood I could still smell. We think," I hesitate but Hope, Lizzie, and Josie know what I was about to say. "We think it might be a sire bond because it was my blood that turned her but I haven't triggered my vampire side so I'm not sure." I can tell Hope feels bad by the way the words leave her mouth like it hurts her to say. "We haven't tried to break it yet."  
Caroline nods her head slowly thinking over all of this new information we have thrown at her. "Does Alaric know?" We all very quickly shake our heads no. "No one got hurt, and we handled it. We knew he'd overreact, and we didn't want P locked up." There was no arguing with Hope. Her voice had a new edge that she lacked earlier. "Well, first step I would say is to try and break the sire bond. Once that is done, we can figure out why you target Josie's heartbeat." Caroline reaches over and grabs Josie and Lizzie's hands next to her. I push myself off the ground and offer Josie my hand to help her stand. "Let's try it."  
Josie POV-  
Mom motions for Penelope and Hope to stand across from each other. She just finished explaining what they need to do. "Okay Hope, go ahead." I stand over by Lizzie and watch as our girlfriends stare into each other's eyes. Hope places her hands on Penelope's shoulders. Mom stands watch next to us. "Penelope, forget about me. Move on with your life. You are free." Hope's words are clearly enunciated and commanding. We wait for any indication that the bond is broken. "Hope, tell Penelope to do something that she typically wouldn't. Penelope try to resist." Lizzie grabs my hand as we watch, waiting. "P, go jump in the lake." Penelope shakes her head a little trying to resist. "Go jump in the lake." Hope's eyes flash gold with her words. "Shit," Penelope turns around and starts walking towards the lake. "Stop!" Hope calls out at her. Penelope turns around and walks back but veers over to me. She pulls me into her arms before releasing a heavy sigh into my neck. "I don't want to jump in the lake. Don't let her make me." Her words sound childish. She pulls away laughing. Hope walks over with a huge smirk on her face before punching Penelope in the arm. "What? You don't want to go for a swim?" She shakes her head. "Maybe later."  
Mom looks deep in thought. "That should have worked if it was a normal sire bond. You girls go back to the school and enjoy the rest of the day. I'll talk to Alaric and tell him. If you come up with any ideas let me know but otherwise," Mom turns to look at Hope and raises a finger to her. "Don't make Penelope do anything she doesn't want to." Hope raises her hands in defense of herself acting completely innocent. We start walking back to the school.  
We walk into my room and divide up like before. I can tell Penelope is antsy. She does her best to hide it but I've picked up on her tells. "Are you okay?" She has her arms wrapped around my shoulders as I lay between her legs. She looks over at Lizzie and Hope watching them talk quietly completely focused on each other before returning her attention to me. "Just wired. So much has happened and I haven't gone for a run in the past couple days. I think it is just catching up to me." I lay my head back against her shoulder to look at her better. "Do you want to go for a run? Or if you want to go by yourself I can just wait for you." She leans her head down and lightly kisses my collarbone once. "Yeah, do you mind?" I shimmy out of her grip then offer her my hand. "Not at all, Pen. Come on." We say goodbye to Lizzie and Hope before leaving my room.  
I follow Penelope keeping her company as she changes into sweats and running shoes. I sit down on the edge of her bed watching her. She glances over her shoulder at me briefly before looking back down at her dresser. "I think I want to run by myself JoJo." I can tell she was nervous saying that. I stand up off the bed and walk over to her. "Can I wait for you at the Old Mill? I'm tired of being inside so much." I know Penelope would be fine by herself but I also want her to know I'm here. She shuts down so easily. Last time she went running off was just last week at Virginia Beach. "Of course JoJo. I won't run too far. Just enough to feel better." She throws me her hoodie that she has been wearing so it smells just like her. I slip it on then grab my book off her desk to entertain myself while she is running.  
I sit down inside the Old Mill against one of the support beams as Penelope stretches in front of me. She bounces up and down on her toes a couple of times before kneeling down in front of me. "I'll be back soon. I love you." I lean forward and peck her nose which creates the biggest smile on my girl's face. "I love you too." She slowly stands up and looks back one more time before taking off at a light jog.  
Penelope POV-  
I really needed that run. My body was craving it. I speed up during my last quarter mile then place my hands above my head and walk the rest of the way to the Old Mill. I clear the woods line surrounding the Old Mill to see Josie reading a book. "Whatcha reading, Jo?" I saw her grab the book earlier but didn't have a chance to read the title. She was so deep in concentration she didn't see me coming. She jumps slightly before smiling at my presence. I grab my water bottle off the floor and sit down across from her. "Just a book for english next semester." She places her bookmark in it and shuts the book. "How far did you go?" I down the rest of my water before answering. "4.5 miles. Just looped a couple of times." Josie nods her head clearly distracted by something. "What's going on in that head of yours?" I reach forward and interlock my fingers with hers. "I just keep thinking about earlier when," the leaves behind us rustle violently halting our conversation. I jump up from my spot and quickly begin scanning the area looking for what made the noise. Josie stands up and steps into my back placing her hand lightly on my upper arm. "Pen, it was probably just," the leaves rustle again as I keep Josie behind me. A deep grumble rolls out of my throat surprising us both. I can feel her siphon some magic from me before lifting her hand towards the movement. She mumbles a couple words in Latin sending the leaves flying. Two fat squirrels are exposed as the leaves fall back to the ground.  
I finally loosen my grip on Josie. I can't say that I have really missed my magic these past couple of days because I haven't needed it. This was the first moment I wished I had it. If that had been a monster, all I can do is bite or become combative with the enemy. Josie runs her fingers up and down my arm waiting for me to turn around to look at her. I meet her eyes and am quickly distracted by the smirk covering her face. She cuts straight to the point. "You growled." I shake my head no. At least I don't think I growled. But what was that sound that came out of my throat? "This supports the point I was trying to make earlier before we got interrupted by those squirrels."  
Josie and I sit down once again on the wood floor of the Old Mill. "I keep thinking about the fact that Hope's eyes flashed gold when she spoke to you. You didn't listen until they did. And just now you growled when you got protective." I cut Josie off before she continues knowing what she is implying. "Your Dad ran a genetics test on me when I arrived. It said just witch. No wolf gene." She lets out a sigh clearly frustrated by this. "You're right. Dang, I thought I had it figured out." I can tell she is disappointed. "Thank you JoJo for trying."  
I scoop her up in my arms before walking out of the Old Mill. "Penny, what are you doing?" She giggles with every step I take making my heart flutter. "I'm done with my workout, so I'm taking us back."  
I can tell Josie is watching me as we walk back to the school. I do my best to keep her steady in my arms and to eliminate bounce. We are met by Caroline and Alaric as I step into the foyer with Josie still in my arms. Alaric looks pissed. I talk in my head. "Hope, Lizzie, little help here downstairs." Josie and I hear an immediate response. "Coming!" Only a couple seconds pass before Hope and Lizzie come running down the stairs stopping only when they hit the bottom. "So, Caroline just told me what is going on. Why didn't you tell me?" I lower Josie to the ground slowly keeping my eyes on her Dad. He sounds hurt that we didn't include him. "Nobody got hurt. We had everything handled." Alaric whips his head around to look at Hope. "I still should have been informed." We all get quiet. I do my best to avoid eye contact. "Alaric." Caroline calls his attention to her. "Drop it." The six of us stand in silence. The tension in the room is electric and can be felt by everyone.  
The conversation I had with Josie earlier keeps running through my head. "Not to change the topic but could you run another genetics test on me?" Alaric and Caroline both look confused. "Didn't we run one on you when you first enrolled here?" I nod my head yes. "It is just a theory but some things don't add up. Some of my actions. It was Josie's idea. I just, I want to know what is wrong with me." Josie locks her hand onto my arm in response to my comment. "There is nothing wrong with you, Penny." Caroline steps around Alaric and motions for me to follow her.  
Josie sits down next to me and holds my hand as Caroline draws my blood. She places it into the machine. "Okay, the results for the genetics test will come back in a couple of minutes." Caroline pulls up a chair and sits down across from us. "Care to explain your theory?" I turn to look at Josie since she suggested it in the first place. "Well, to start she has shown more control than a newly turned vampire. Also, she has been protective. She let out a small growl earlier today when she felt threatened by a squirrel." I roll my eyes. "I did not feel threatened by the squirrel. We didn't know what made the leaves rustle." Caroline looks amused by our banter but Josie continues. "Her emotions have been heightened but we wrote it off to her being a vampire now. And what we thought was a sire bond between Hope and Pen, could be an alpha bond because Pen only responded when Hope flashed her wolf eyes." The machine dings with the results from the blood test. Caroline reaches over and grabs the printed sheet. She reads it over before handing it to me. Josie runs her finger down the sheet before stopping at the third line from the bottom. "Positive." This doesn't seem real just a week ago I was a witch. I had a coven. Josie lifts her head from the sheet before answering almost in a gasp. "You have the wolf gene now."

Penelope POV-  
"Is it activated?" My hand has a slight shake to it as I hold the sheet of paper. "I would assume so since some of your behaviors match with newly turned wolves." I shake my head slightly back and forth. This can't be happening. I'm not even fully adjusted to being a vampire now we throw this into the mix? "Mom, she hasn't killed anyone." Josie takes the paper out of my hand as I stand up and begin pacing back and forth. Caroline's eyes follow my movements. "This is an entirely new situation. We don't know what Hope's blood did since she hasn't activated her vampire side. Since her wolf side is the main one in control, her blood could have somehow mutated creating the gene. It didn't need the trigger, it was already activated." The room gets quiet. All that can be heard is my feet hitting the floor as I walk around. "Pen, come here." Josie's words filter through my thoughts as I turn to look at her. I take my seat next to Josie again as she places her hand in mine. My leg starts to bounce. My nerves are getting the better of me. "When is the next full moon?" Caroline pulls out her phone to check. "Two days."  
Josie POV-  
Penelope quickly stands up and heads out of the office. Her thoughts are racing. "I'm going to go," I point towards the direction Penelope just left in. Mom forces a smile and nods. We all know how difficult of a situation this is. "Go ahead, sweetie. Come find us if you need us." I walk out of the room to see Hope and Lizzie both standing there waiting for answers. I know they hear Penelope's thoughts too. "Not right now, I'll come find you later. Where did she go?" They point towards the front doors of the school. Guess I'm going back out to the woods.  
I cross the field quickly and find Penelope sitting against one of the trees barely past the woods line. When she sees me, she jumps up from her spot and begins walking to me. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to run off. It was getting hard to breathe, and I needed air." She steps forward taking both of my hands in hers. "I'm sorry." She was so worried I'd be upset. "Shh, Pen. We're okay. Come here, let's sit down and talk, yeah?" She nods her head as I lead her further into the woods and into the Old Mill. I sit down in my earlier spot as Penelope lays down next to me, placing her head in my lap. She plays with the fingers on my right hand as I run my left hand through her hair slowly. "Talk to me, Pen." This already is progress. She willingly is sitting here with me. And she waited for me, knowing I would come find her. I know it takes time for her to open up still. Her thoughts are a jumbled mess. I can't sort them in my head.  
She lets out a deep sigh before looking into my eyes. "This doesn't change anything between us right? I just, you accepted the vampire thing and that was a lot. Now this. I would understand if you," I cut her off. "Penelope." I use her full name and she notices. "Sorry, I just want to ask. If you want an out, I understand." I shake my head no. "I don't want an out, Penny. I love you for you. No matter what supernatural abilities you have." This makes her chuckle. "What if I grow wings one day?" I can tell she is feeling better having just solidified that I still want to be with her. "I will still love you." She nods her head with a smile on her face.  
Her thoughts have quieted down some. "What is freaking you out the most right now, Pen?" It takes her a second to look back up at me. "I just don't want to hurt you. All of this is so new." Now, not only does she have to worry about her vampire side but her wolf. "You forget I have magic. If I need to blast you, I can. But you have already proven you have a lot of control. It is probably thanks to your wolf. Might explain why you target my heartbeat as well." She drops the hand she was playing with onto her chest before a smirk forms. "Maybe you could see my wolf like Lizzie got to see Hope's. I wonder what color I'll be. You think I can change whenever I want like Hope since it was her blood that created my gene?" She is beginning to sound excited about this. "Guess we will find out in a couple of days." She sits up off my lap and turns around to look at me. "I feel better now. I just got into my head and overwhelmed." I stand up and offer her my hand for help. "Took you long enough to realize that you don't have to do this alone. You just have to listen to me sometimes." Her jaw drops before a devious grin sprouts across her face. "What?" She pulls me quickly forward into her arms and begins to tickle my sides. "Pen, Penny, I cant, breathe." I'm laughing so hard that I can barely stand. Penelope lowers me to the ground before eventually stopping. I lay there watching my beautiful girlfriend above me as I catch my breath. "You are always right, JoJo."  
Penelope POV-  
The sun is setting as Josie and I walk back to the school. I ask in our heads to Lizzie and Hope, "Have you guys eaten yet?" Both of them respond with a quick no. "Come down to the kitchen." Hope and Lizzie walk through the far door. "Thank goodness, Hope wouldn't let me eat until you guys got back." Lizzie turns to look at Hope who rolls her eyes at her. "Everything good though?" Hope gears this question towards me. "Yes, alpha." The nickname catches her off guard. She flashes her gold eyes at me before laughing. "I finally will have someone to run with." Josie steps away from us to start grabbing food out of the fridge for the four of us.  
"So how does this work exactly?" The four of us are sitting around the counter top eating. "Well, um, we will go out to the woods. You'll feel when it is starting. All of your bones will break, and it will only take a couple of minutes but you just have to let it happen. If you fight it, it will take longer. I'll be with you the whole time. Your wolf will tell you when to change back the first time. After your first time, we can see if you can change whenever you want." I've heard stories about changing. Breaking every bone in my body sounds extremely painful but probably not as bad as dying. "Can I prepare for it at all?" Hope swallows her last bite of food before answering. "Mentally."  
Josie POV-  
All of us have spent the last two days enjoying the rest of our Christmas break. We've watched movies and ran through the halls of the school giggling. We separated from Lizzie and Hope so Penelope could change. I crawl across the bed before collapsing on my side. "What do I even wear to do this?" Penelope holds up a pair of jeans and a pair of sweats in her hands. "Something comfortable that you can take off and leave outside for a little while." She places the jeans back into her dresser then throws the sweats onto her bed. She grabs an old t-shirt out of her closet and a pair of running shoes. "This is so weird." She mumbles under her breath. I sit up on the bed and watch as she changes into the clothes.  
Penelope finishes and sits down on the edge of the bed with her back to me. "Maybe we should disconnect the bond for the night so you can't hear me when I'm in pain." I slide down the bed then sit next to Penelope. "I'll be okay, Penny. And so will you." She reaches over and interlocks our fingers. "Thank you."  
Penelope intentionally places her phone on her side table before we walk out of her room. She has no need for it as a wolf. "Ready?" Hope comes out of my room with Lizzie trailing close behind. Hope is dressed similarly to Penelope. She nods her head as we turn to walk down the hallway.  
Mom and Dad are waiting for us downstairs. Dad agreed to letting Penelope change outside after a small fight with Hope earlier today. "Be careful." Dad looks to Hope waiting for her acknowledgment. "We will be." We step outside and stop at the bottom of the stairs in the grass. We don't know how Penelope's wolf would react to people so I agreed to stay back with Lizzie. Hope pulls Lizzie a couple steps away to allow us some privacy. Penelope wraps her arms around my waist as I place my arms around her neck. "I can't wait to hear about being a wolf. You can tell me all about it when you change back." Penelope leans forward catching my lips in a kiss. I can feel her smiling. "I love you, JoJo." We drop our grip on each other as she begins to back away. "I love you too, Pen." Hope separates from Lizzie and begins her walk with Penelope to the woods. I sit down on the steps and watch as they walk away. Lizzie joins me as we wait.  
Penelope POV-  
I keep my eyes forward as we walk to the woods. I know if I look back at Josie I might try to stop. We are about 30 feet inside the woods line when Hope stops. "Can you feel it?" I have felt my nerves getting more tense the past couple of days leading up to this full moon. Hope says it is normal though. "Go ahead and strip, you should change soon." Hope turns around to give me a little privacy knowing I am nervous. I slowly take off my shirt and pants before folding them. I place all of my clothes next to a tree. "So, how long until," perfect timing. The bone in my right arm breaks. "Fuck." Hope turns around to find me clutching my arm. My left shin breaks next. "Hope, this really hurts." My words come out tight. I drop to the ground as Hope kneels next to me. "Let it happen. I promise it'll be all over soon." I close my eyes and try to hold in the screams I want to release. Hope moves to stand in front of me as my bones continue to break. It feels like it takes forever when in reality it must have only been a couple of minutes. I look up once more to Hope before feeling the change complete. Hope takes a step back taking in my full size. "Damn P, you're jet black."  
Josie POV-  
I can hear Penelope in my head calling out in pain. I don't think I've ever heard anything that hurts me that much. Lizzie winces next to me as we wait for Penelope to finish. Eventually, the sounds stop. "You think it's over?" Lizzie turns her head to look at me. "I think so." Penelope's voice cuts through our heads. "JoJo." That's all she says. "Yes? Are you okay?" Again, she just repeats my name. "Hope, what's going on?" Lizzie asks in our heads. "She's looking around for something. Oh shit." We look up to the woods to see a huge black wolf running our way with a white wolf chasing after it, Hope. Lizzie and I both scramble to our feet but I stop. The black wolf's mouth is open with its' tongue lolled out of it. It slows down as it gets closer.  
Hope rushes past and stands protectively in front of us as the black wolf trots the rest of the way to us. It stops a couple feet away. Lizzie drops her hand onto Hope's back into her white fur as she lets out a small growl. "Hope, what's going on?" Clearly our bond doesn't work as well while they are in wolf form. The black wolf drops to the ground and places her head between her paws whimpering. It slows crawls forward through the grass.  
Penelope's voice fills ours again. "JoJo." I step around Hope who tries to intercept me again. "It's okay." I walk down the couple of steps and cautiously step towards the black wolf. "Penny?" The wolf's tail pounds the ground once as she slowly gets up. I take another step forward putting the black wolf within arm's reach. It lets out another whimper as I extend my hand towards it. "JoJo." I reach forward the last couple of inches as the black wolf presses her head into my hand. "Hi Penny." The wolf surges past my hand and pushes her head into my stomach throwing me a little off balance. I lift my hand and begin scratching her head and neck. She is so soft. Her eyes open and close slowly clearly enjoying this. We stand there not moving for a while until Penelope's voice fills my head. "Happy."  
Hope steps away from Lizzie and walks around my side before nudging Penelope. She lifts her head to look at Hope then whimpers as she looks back at me. "Go on, Pen, go run with Hope." I wave my hands a little motioning for her to go. She lifts her snout to the air and quickly licks my nose before turning around to follow Hope. We watch as they run back to the woods. "That was amazing." Lizzie and I sit back down on the steps. Penelope's wolf sought me out. She showed no aggression. We weren't sure how long Penelope would stay a wolf since the wolves have no control over how long they stay a wolf the first time. Lizzie and I move inside to wait at about eleven.  
Penelope POV-  
Hope takes me running all around the woods until I can feel I'm about to change back. We walk back to our clothes as my bones begin to rebreak. It seems to take less time than earlier but I can't be sure. Hope and I grab our clothes and change before walking back to the school. We step through the doors and head into the main lobby where Josie and Lizzie are fast asleep on the couches. I didn't realize how tired I was until just now. I look to Hope as we both silently agree to our next moves. I walk over to Josie and carefully pull the blanket back before picking her up. I follow Hope up the stairs as she carries Lizzie. I get to my bedroom door unsure of how I am going to maneuver this. Hope says a spell quietly that opens my door for me. I nod a thanks at her before taking Josie into my room.  
I lay her down on her side of the bed and tuck her in as I hop into the shower real quick. I come out to see Josie is still sound asleep. I don't think either of us slept much last night worrying about how tonight would go. I change into sleep clothes and crawl into bed next to my girlfriend. She scoots back subconsciously until she is pressed against me. I wrap my arm around her waist as I settle into the bed. "Goodnight, JoJo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	7. Breakfast Fun/First Day Back

Penelope POV-  
That was some of the best sleep I think I've ever gotten. I force my eyes open against the light filtering into my room. Josie at some point grabbed her phone off the side table and is now laying next to me texting completely oblivious to the fact that I am awake. I curl my arm forcing her to turn into me. She looks up from her phone to meet my eyes. "Hi JoJo." She drops her hand holding the phone and pulls it into her body as she nuzzles into me. "Hi Penny." She pulls back after a couple of seconds with a huge grin on her face. My voice comes out sounding rough. "How long have you been up?" I lightly scratch up and down her arm sending chills down her back. "A while." I cock my head to the side. Normally, we wake up about the same time. I lean back and grab my phone off the table. 1:30. Oh. "You could have woken me, Jo. I didn't mean to sleep that long." Josie lets slip a giggle. "It's okay, Lizzie and I were just texting. Hope is still asleep." I nod then lean forward and press my forehead against Josie's. "Last night was so," Josie cuts me off. "Cute?" We both laugh. I know exactly what she is referencing. "I was going to say exhilarating but yes. I had no control over my wolf. She had to see you." Josie blushes slightly before she buries her face in my chest. My stomach begins to rumble ruining the moment as Josie pulls back from me. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."  
Josie pours us each a cup of coffee as I begin to cook some biscuits, eggs, and bacon. I'm starving. I jump up onto the counter like before as Josie steps between me. "Tell me more about last night." She wraps her arms around my waist and looks up into my eyes. "So, the actual changing part really hurts but Hope said it'll get easier and hurt a little less. I'll just get used to the pain. As soon as I finished turning, Hope commented on my black fur. I'm not sure what color I was expecting but I don't think black was what I pictured. Then all of a sudden, I don't know how I picked it up from so far away, but I started hearing your heartbeat and all I knew in that moment was that I had to find you." Josie presses her face into my shirt. I can tell she is smiling. "It was super cute, you came running forward like a huge puppy. Through our mind connection, you just kept saying JoJo over and over again and once your huge head was pressed against me, you just said happy as I pet you. No aggression." I love hearing what she saw. I was trying to say more during the whole event but the connection apparently limited how much she could hear from me. Josie steps back to check on the bacon as I continue. "Once you told me to run off, Hope took me running throughout the entire back woods, and we roughhoused a little. It was amazing. This was a whole different kind of runners high. Eventually, I could tell that my body was ready to change, so Hope and I headed back. When we came inside we found you and Lizzie asleep by the fire so I carried you upstairs then I showered and went to sleep." Josie's eyes are only filled with love as she looks at me. "I'm so happy that you enjoyed being a wolf." She steps back over to me and places her hands on my thighs. "It's almost like you were drawn to me though, Penelope Park." She leans forward with her head tilted back looking up at me. She is smiling like crazy. "Let's be real here. I've always been drawn to you, Josette Saltzman." I close the distance placing my hands on her neck as her hands move to my shirt hem. Her touch drives me crazy as her fingertips graze my skin. I want more. I scoot closer to the edge of the counter wrapping my legs around Josie keeping her pressed tight against me. "Okay, this needs to stop happening." Lizzie's voice fills the kitchen. Josie gets flustered and quickly tries to back away but I still have my legs locked around her. "One more," I close my eyes and make kissy noises until Josie's lips meet mine. I release my grip on her as she goes to pull the biscuits out of the oven. Her cheeks give off a pink shade. Lizzie rolls her eyes and drops her look of disgust off her face. "I thought Hope was still sleeping." I gear the question more towards Josie who shrugs her shoulders. Right on cue, Hope walks in from behind Lizzie as she rubs at her eyes and yawns clearly trying to still wake up. Her words come out more as a grunt. "Good morning."  
I jump off the counter and trail after Josie to help her finish cooking the breakfast as Lizzie gets Hope some coffee.  
Josie POV-  
Mom walks into the kitchen with an empty coffee cup in hand. "Look who finally got up." Penelope has her arms wrapped around my waist with her chin resting on my shoulder. She pulls back to look at my Mom but leaves her hand on my waist. "Good Morning." I look over my shoulder and can't help but smile at my girlfriend. I can tell how light she feels today. She is grinning like crazy. "Do you want any food, Mom?" She shakes her head no. "I am okay, Honey. I did want to see how last night went though." She places her empty coffee cup in the sink then takes a seat at the counter top. Hope and Lizzie are preoccupied with their own conversation at the other end of the counter.  
Penelope explains last night to Mom as we eat breakfast. She nods her head in appropriate places but otherwise remains quiet. "I'm glad it went well, Penelope. Just be careful with exposing your wolf to people. It probably won't go the same way if it isn't Josie." We both receive a typical worried Mom look. "I'll be careful." Mom gets up from her chair and begins to head towards the door. "Don't forget, school starts back up Monday." Hope and Lizzie heard that part. They both groan before Hope places her forehead down on the counter. Mom chuckles then leaves the room shaking her head with a small smile on her face.  
Hope lifts her head off the counter and looks to Penelope. "Want to try and turn tomorrow night? It'll give you time to rest but we can see if you can turn whenever like me before school starts back up?" Penelope places her hand on the small of my back to get my attention. "You okay with that?" She asks in our heads even knowing that Hope and Lizzie can hear us. "Yeah, Penny. Of course." Hope has her answer. They both stand up and make to leave. "Wait," I think back to earlier when Lizzie walked in on Penelope and me. "Now that everything has settled, maybe it is time to break our group bond." Lizzie and Hope look at each other briefly before nodding. "Yeah that's fine." I look to Penelope and share a knowing glance. She stands up and says our reversal spell breaking our group bond but leaving our bond. Lizzie looks slightly relieved before dropping her expression. "Actually, can Hope and I leave our bond?" She turns to Hope for confirmation who nods. "We've kind of gotten used to it." Lizzie begins to laugh quietly. "Plus, it forces Hope to tell me what she is feeling." Hope's cheeks turn red. "Can you just send me the spell you created? We can make the bond." Penelope pulls out her phone and sends the note containing the spell to Hope. "Have fun." Hope grabs Lizzie's hand who drags her out of the kitchen. The door swings shut behind them. Penelope stands up from her chair and pulls mine back. She moves to stand in front of me as she wraps her arms around my neck. "Should we continue what we started earlier?" I nod my head and end up biting my lip lightly. "Definitely." Penelope grabs my hand and pulls me towards her room.  
Penelope POV-  
"Where do you want to be while I'm out with Hope? We don't even know if this is going to work, Jo. Maybe I am like all the other wolves." I can hear all of the students walking up and down the hallway as they get back from their break. The excess noise is a little overwhelming. "Pen," Josie is sitting on my bed as I pace back and forth in front of her. "When was the last time you had any blood?" I stop moving and try to think. "Um, morning of the full moon so a couple of days ago." Josie steps off my bed and walks over to the mini fridge we moved into my room. With all of the students coming back, we couldn't leave human blood in the fridge in the kitchen. "Please, have some blood." She grabs a bag out of the fridge and walks over placing it in my hand. I have been distracted the past couple of days keeping me oblivious to the burning feeling building in my throat. Josie takes my hand and pulls me towards my bed. She sits down with her back against my headboard as I crawl between her legs resting my back on her. She wraps her arms around me as I uncap the blood bag and begin to drink. She lowers her mouth to my ear and talks softly in my ear. "If you can't turn like Hope that is fine. If you can, great. It doesn't matter how this night ends. Nothing changes between us." I finish my blood bag and push back against her letting out a sigh. "That feels better." Josie laughs lightly. "I always know what makes you feel better, Penny." She keeps her face buried into my neck and exhales. Her lips graze the sensitive skin on my neck sending chills down my body. I lift my hand up to her head and run my fingers through her hair. "Jo, as much as I'd love to repeat our earlier activities, I told Hope I'd meet her outside in 10 minutes." Josie releases her grip on me and crosses her arms across her chest. "I'm clearly being replaced. So sad." She puts on her best fake pouting face as I flip my body around to wrap my arms around her. I place my chin on her stomach and look up at her. "Never, JoJo." She lifts my head to meet hers in a kiss before I finally get up. "Come with me?" Josie takes my hand and bumps into me as we leave her room. "Always."  
Josie POV-  
The hallway is significantly louder than it has been. Penelope's grip on my hand tightens as we walk down the hallway. Her thoughts flood my mind. "They are all so loud." I look over at her and give her hand a quick squeeze. "They aren't being any louder than usual, Penny. You just have super sensitive hearing now. Focus on my voice and heartbeat. Block them out." We step around a corner and stop against the wall. Penelope closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath. "Listen to only me, Pen." She visibly relaxes once she has blocked out the extra noise. "Okay, I'm okay." We walk down the last set of stairs and out the back doors.  
Hope is waiting at the Old Mill for us. "Ready?" Penelope turns to me as we step into the building. "Do you want to stay here? Or you can go back to my room? Or yours? I can come find you afterwards." I lift my hand to her cheek stopping her rambling. "I'll wait here for now. Your wolf might want to see me again. If it starts getting late, I'll head inside and wait for you in your room, okay?" She nods her head. "I love you." I drop my hand and lightly shove her back. "I love you too, Pen." She looks back at me once more before I can no longer see Hope and Penelope. We will find out shortly if she can turn like Hope.  
Penelope POV-  
Hope and I walk towards the same spot as last time. "So how exactly does this work if my wolf isn't necessarily dying to come out?" Hope laughs a little as we stop walking. "It always wants to come out, you just have to allow it." I begin pulling my shirt off and pants. Hope politely avoids eye contact as best as she can as she waits for me. "Okay, just tell your wolf it can come out. Your human side is in control right now. You have to let the wolf side of you take over. Try to relax and allow the change to happen. We'll know if you can't turn like me if you can't feel your wolf when you attempt to change. Trust me, you'll know if you feel her." I nod my head once more before closing my eyes. I speak in my head. "Okay, wolf. Do your thing. I give you permission." I wait a couple of seconds but don't feel a change. "Hope nothing is happening." She cocks her head confused. "Try one more time. Give up the control." I roll my eyes at her comment. "You can do it, Pen." Josie's voice fills my head motivating me. I close my eyes once more and attempt to relax as best as I can. I whisper the words under my breath. "I give you control." A nagging feeling at the back of my head begins to push forward. My body feels electric. "Hope, I think I feel," I'm cut off by my leg breaking. I push the last word out with clenched teeth. "Something." Hope kneels down in front of me like she did before. "Looks like you can turn like me, P. Go ahead and let the turn happen." She steps back from me as my wrist breaks. I shut my eyes and grab ahold of the grass and dirt trying to ground myself. My bones continue breaking one by one until I change completely.  
Hope steps into my field of vision as her white wolf. I shake my body out making me appear more fluffy as Hope walks forward and rubs against me. Josie's heartbeat once again fills my head. I turn to look towards the Old Mill and then back at Hope who understands. She nods her head allowing me to leave.  
Josie POV-  
She did it. Penelope can change like Hope. This time it didn't seem to take quite as long and Penelope didn't call out as much in our heads as last time. I sit on the steps of the Old Mill looking out towards the woods waiting to see if my girl will come find me. It doesn't take long for me to hear some rustling coming from the bushes and getting closer. I place my hand on the wood of the Old Mill and manage to siphon a tiny bit of magic just in case. Penelope breaks through the woods line and locks eyes on me sprinting forward. She slows down just enough to not throw me back upon impact. She presses her head into my chest like before and wags her tail slowly.  
"Looks like you can turn like Hope, Penny." She lifts her huge head enough to look at me. Her wet nose inches from my face. I cock my head a little unsure of what she wants until she licks from my chin to my forehead. "Penny! Why you'd do that?" I definitely don't sound serious because I can't stop laughing as I wipe the slobber off my face. Penelope is a couple steps away and her tail is wagging hard. Her tongue is hanging out of mouth. She steps forward once more wanting to be pet. I scoot down the rest of the wood steps so that I am sitting on the ground. She lays her huge head in my lap with her legs tucked under her. "You're just a big puppy, Penny." Her eyes stay shut at my comment. I keep scratching behind her ears and her head until Hope shows up. Her wolf nudges Penelope but my girl doesn't move. Hope tries one more time. "Pen, go run with Hope. I'll be here when you get back okay?" She lets out a growl grunt as she stands up then follows Hope into the woods.  
I choose to just stay in the Old Mill until they get back. It is around one o'clock when I hear Hope and Penelope talking. I have been in and out of sleep up in the loft but I wanted to wait for Penelope. I roll out of the blankets I set up and walk down to the first level just as Penelope and Hope step into the Old Mill. "Perfect, I'll see you Wednesday morning." Hope nods her head towards me before walking off towards the school leaving us alone. "How was it, Pen?" She takes my hand and begins to guide me back towards the school too. "It was really fun. It was easier to change too this time." She seems so happy. "So, want to explain why you licked me?" I attempt to appear serious but I know my smile is breaking through. "What? You don't like it?" Penelope sticks her tongue out and moves closer to me. I take a couple steps back from her with our hands keeping us together. Penelope stops walking and smiles widely. "Oh come on, JoJo." I start shaking my head no quickly as I am laughing. Penelope pulls me towards her by my hand and easily picks me up bridle style. "Penny!" She continues trying to lick my cheek but I put my hands up to stop her face. The only sound in the night is us laughing. Eventually, her head pushes past my hands and makes its way to my lips. "See? That's all I wanted." I giggle at her comment. "So you licking me as a wolf was your way of kissing me?" She nods her head proudly. "You're so cute."  
She carries me the rest of the way back to the school then places me on the ground. "Think your Dad has the night check in place already?" Knowing him, probably. "Yeah, can I take some magic?" I siphon just enough magic from Penelope to say the invisibility spell. I take her hand as we walk up the stairs and towards her room. As soon as we get to the top step, we see one of the hall monitors. Penelope and I can see each other but no one else can see us. The hall monitor stalks forward as we press against the wall out of his way. He probably could hear our footsteps going up the stairs. "Who's there?" Penelope and I do our best to contain our giggles. We hug the wall as we inch down it past the oblivious guard and make it back to Penelope's room. "Well, this has been an entertaining night." I collapse onto Penelope's bed laughing. She walks over to me and places her hands on my legs. "I'm going to take a quick shower but you can go to bed if you want, Jo, you don't have to stay up." I nod my head. "Yeah go ahead. I'll see if I can stay up. Shower quick." I sit up on the bed and give Penelope a quick kiss before she heads into her bathroom.  
Penelope POV-  
I take a quick shower and change into sleep clothes before stepping back into my room. The side table light is still on but Josie is fast asleep. I grab my phone off my side table and take a quick picture of my girl. She's beautiful. I crawl under the covers of my bed and turn off the light. I pull Josie to me and listen to her steady heartbeat. She starts to stir a little. "Shh go back to sleep, JoJo." I lightly scratch up and down her arm putting her back to sleep. "Thank you for being you, Jo. I love you."

Penelope POV-  
"Come on Jo, we have to get ready." I push myself up onto my arm and rest my other hand on her stomach. My alarm went off about ten minutes ago. "JoJo." She turns her head to look up at me finally. She lets out a sigh. "I don't want to." She tries to roll over to her side away from me but my hand keeps her in place. I lean forward and kiss her forehead. "How about we do a movie night tonight? We shouldn't have too much homework assigned today. But, that will give you something to look forward to." She turns into me pressing her face into my neck and finally caves. "Okay, Pen." I gently rub up and down her back until she lets out a sigh. "Guess we need to get ready, now." She falls out of my embrace and starts walking around my room getting dressed.  
Josie and I walk hand in hand down to the cafeteria backpacks in tow. Josie is still trying to wake up as she sits down at a table. I grab us some breakfast and join her right as Hope and Lizzie walk in. "Morning." Josie sips on her coffee then rests her head on my shoulder. "Someone looks tired." Hope lets out a small laugh. "I don't like waking to an alarm." We all silently agree to that. I place my hand around Josie's waist keeping her close to me. "Hey Hope, what time did you want to meet Wednesday morning?" Josie lifts her head to look at me. "I figure we'd only run a couple of hours but to give us plenty of time I thought about 4?" Josie looks between Hope and me. "Please tell me you mean 4 PM." I shake my head no. "4 AM. I don't expect you to come out there, Jo. I'll do my best to wake to my alarm and slip out of my room without waking you. Hope normally tries to run every couple of days to keep her head calm and she invited me to run with her." Josie nods her head. "Is this going to be a weekly thing?" I give a slight squeeze to her waist. "If that's okay with you."  
She leans forward with a grin on her face. "Of course, as long as I don't have to get up that early." Her lips connect with my nose quickly. The bell signaling our first period cuts off the rest of the conversation.  
Josie, Hope, Lizzie, and I all have our first class together. With only a couple minutes left, an announcement rings over the intercom. "There will be a brief assembly after this period ends. Thank you." It's Alaric's voice. I turn to look at Josie who shrugs her shoulders. That's weird. We make our way to the main foyer for the announcement. Josie and I sit in the back corner, our hands rest lightly across my leg as we wait. Alaric steps up in front of the podium with Caroline standing against the far wall watching. She locks eyes with me. "Are you good? Alaric is going to tell everyone you are a vampire now." Her voice is barely above a whisper but I hear her. "I'm okay. I'm ready for it." She forces a smile and tucks her head slightly. "Stick around after please." She turns her attention back to Alaric after I nod yes. Josie witnessed the entire interaction. She speaks in my head to keep our conversation private. "What did Mom say?" She leans into me waiting for a response, her eyes never leave mine. "Your Dad is going to tell everyone I am a vampire. Then your Mom wants to see us after." I lean forward and kiss her forehead to let her know I am okay as Alaric begins to speak.  
"Good morning everyone, first things first, welcome back. I hope your Christmas break was enjoyable." He waits for head nods. "We want to have full transparency with every single one of you. Over the break, we had an incident. Our school was attacked by four Wendigos and defended by Hope, Penelope, and my two daughters. Tragically, Penelope was killed and came back as a vampire thanks to Hope's blood." Josie's grip on my hand tightens as heads turn to look around for me. I subconsciously scoot down in my seat attempting to hide from their stares. I'm okay with everyone knowing but I don't like the extra attention. I close my eyes and manage to block out Alaric's voice for the rest of his speech as Josie's thumb traces circles on the back of my hand grounding me. "That is all. Your second period will begin in a couple minutes. Please make your way there now and have a nice day." Everyone stands up and begins to shuffle out of the room. A couple more heads turn to look at me until we are left nearly alone. Lizzie and Hope look to Josie who gives a slight nod next to me for them to follow the rest of the students out. Caroline walks over towards us with Alaric trailing. "I wanted to ask, have you told your Mom yet?" I was so worried about her finding out before I turned and nothing has changed. I shake my head no. I had been putting it off. "How about we call them tonight? I can explain the situation." Caroline only wants to help while Alaric looks guilty. He stands a couple feet behind her with his hand resting on one of the chairs. "Yeah, okay." Caroline acknowledges my words before walking away. Alaric steps out of the room to answer a phone call leaving Josie and me alone. "Guess we need to go to class, huh?" I keep my voice as steady as possible but Josie knows me too well. Thankfully, she chooses to not comment. "Just look forward to our movie night, Penny. You have to pick our movie." I stand up from my chair and swing my backpack over my shoulder. "Why do I have to pick? I always pick." Josie grabs her backpack and follows me through the row of chairs. "Because I'm indecisive. So unless you just want to watch me try and decide what to watch, you need to pick." She's so cute. "I would love to just watch you, thanks for the suggestion." Josie rolls her eyes and laughs as we approach our classroom. "Come on, stalker." The bell rings as we take our seats in our second period.  
Josie POV-  
Since Penelope is no longer in my witch classes, I don't see her again until dinner time. I walk into the cafeteria and find Penelope waiting for me at our usual table. "Hey JoJo, how were your classes?" She slides the second food tray she got in front of me. "Honestly, boring. It was all review from last semester." Hope and Lizzie walk up with their trays and sit down across from us interrupting our conversation. "If that girl doesn't back off, I'm going to set Josie on her." Penelope shares an amused look with me. "I'm sorry, you're gonna set me to do what, Liz?" Hope rolls her eyes and shakes her head back and forth with an airy laugh before Lizzie explains. "This girl keeps hitting on Hope in our English class even though she knows we are dating. She tried to get her to be her partner for our new project and I swear if she so much as," Hope places her hand on Lizzie's arm stopping her rant. "Liz, I only have eyes for you and you know that. You don't need Josie to smite her." A scoff pushes out of my throat. "Why do I have to smite her? Hope could do it just as easily." Penelope can't get enough of this. She tries to contain her laugh. "Because Jo, we are twins. It's in the twin pact." Lizzie looks one hundred percent serious. I turn to Penelope who is trying to hide her laugh with a cough now. "You don't get to act like you don't get jealous, Penny." This catches her off guard. "What? You are one to talk. Your fire comes out when you are jealous babe, literally." This finally breaks Lizzie's serious demeanor reminding us all of my love of fire.  
My phone buzzes with a text from Mom. "Can you tell Penelope I will be in your Dad's office when she is ready?" I lift my phone to show it to Penelope. We have all just finished eating. "What do you want me to say?" Penelope looks a little nervous but grabs her phone out of her backpack and stands up. "Tell her I'm on my way. Can you take my backpack upstairs and I'll meet you in my room? Don't start picking a movie without me. I don't want to miss the view." I playfully shove her away from me. "Yes, Pen. Now go." She takes a couple steps backwards still facing me. I know she is not wanting to have this conversation with her Mom. "Go, Penny." She finally turns around and leaves.  
I head up to Penelope's room with both of our backpacks after saying goodnight to Hope and Lizzie. I was given a little bit of homework today in class so I sit down at Penelope's desk and pull it out. I put in some headphones and block out everything else as I start working on it. I look up from the sheet of paper about an hour and a half later and stand up to stretch. The stars outside the window are shining bright. I have always liked Penelope's view better than mine. It overlooks the woods and the Old Mill.  
Warm arms wrap around my waist unexpectedly causing me to jump. My headphones fall out of my ears and dangle caught between Penelope's arm and my body. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I can feel the breath from her words on my neck sending chills down my back. "It's okay, how did it go?" She lessens her grip allowing me to turn around to see her. I can see her eyes are a little red. "Hey, were you crying?" I lift my hand to her cheek as she presses into it closing her eyes. "I'm okay. It was just a long conversation." I pull my headphones out of my phone and place them on her desk before I sit down on her bed with my back to her headboard. She lays down with her head in my lap and interlocks her fingers with mine. "Mom was okay with it. She just kept checking to see if I was okay and how you and I were doing. She said she'd talk to our coven and tell them for me. She took it better than I thought she would." I'm glad she finally had this conversation with her Mom. I know it was weighing heavily on her. Penelope stops talking and gets quiet. "Are you okay, Pen?" A small smile breaks on her face as she twiddles with my fingers. Her words come out quiet. "Everything worked out. I just didn't think I would ever deserve this not after the way I left you." She stops playing with my hands and drops them onto her chest. "You deserve more than you think, Pen." I drop my head down and meet her lips. When I pull back, Penelope smirks. "Can we still movie night? You promised I could watch you pick a movie." She rolls off of me and gestures towards the movies. I slide off the bed and turn back. "You're lucky I love you." I point my finger at her as she lays down on the edge of her bed with her head resting on her arms. "I sure am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	8. Early Mornings/Monster Thoughts

Penelope POV-  
Josie and I were able to do our movie night Tuesday after classes giving us some much needed alone time. Wednesday morning rolled around too quickly when my 3:30 am alarm went off. "Shit, why did I agree to this?" In the time it took for me to turn off my alarm, Josie had already adjusted to be pressed against me again. "I have to go meet Hope, JoJo. I'll see you before classes. I love you." I tilt my head down and press a light kiss to her forehead. Once I am out of my bed, I grab my old hoodie that Josie loves and place it into her grasp. I quietly slip into my bathroom where I have my sweats sitting folded on the counter with my running shoes ready. I quickly change and am out the door by 3:45 ready to wolf out.  
I reach the woods line to find Hope waiting in our spot. "Hey, how long have you been waiting?" I look down at my watch to see it is 3:57. "Lizzie kicked me about an hour ago, it jarred me awake so I decided to just get here early." Hope doesn't look mad about it. She shakes her head slightly with a small laugh and looks down at her feet. I wonder if Josie and I look this in love when the other is mentioned. "Ready?" Hope gets off the ground and pats off the dirt from her pants. We both move to our respective trees. "I can't wait for this to get easier." Hope and I both strip and change. It takes me longer to turn compared to Hope, but I am getting faster. Hope and I run through the woods chasing small animals and jumping over broken and fallen trees until the sun begins to come up.  
Josie POV-  
The bed is colder than usual. I run my hand over Penelope's side of the bed to find cold sheets. My hand is clasped onto her old hoodie. She must have given it to me when she left. I grab my phone off the side table to see it is only 6:00. I throw on my girl's hoodie and slip on my running shoes to make the trek out to the woods to hopefully surprise her by meeting her outside.  
I make it to the Old Mill right as the sun begins to rise. If Penelope is still in wolf form, she'll be able to smell and hear that I am here so I sit down in my usual spot. As I wait for her to show up, I think back to the day she found out she was a wolf. We laid here in the comfort of our own little world. Our relationship is definitely stronger compared to before. All relationships have flaws but it is different this time. She is opening up more, and I am doing things for me now. It makes me smile thinking about our tickle fight that left me gasping for air. Her laugh never fails to leave me breathless.  
My thoughts are interrupted by a huge black wolf charging towards me. "Hey, Penny." She pushes her huge head against my chest knocking the breath out of me as I wrap my arms around her head. "Good morning." I scratch behind her ears until she steps back and sits down between my legs. It is hard to imagine how tall she really is in her wolf form until her sitting height is taller than mine. She cocks her head in confusion as she looks at me. "Upset." I see Hope step into the Old Mill and lay down with her back towards us waiting for Penelope. "Upset? Are you upset?" She shakes her head no. "You." I understand now. "I'm not upset, I was just thinking about how happy I am with you. Did you have a good run?" Penelope pops up from her seated position to stand with her tail swinging wildly. "I'll take that as a yes." I lightly grasp her snout and kiss the top of her black nose. "How about you go change so we can get breakfast, okay?" She nods her head before turning around to Hope. She steps over and nudges Hope's back then follows her into the woods.  
Penelope comes walking back into the Old Mill a couple of minutes later fully clothed. "Hey," I get off the floor and meet her halfway. She wraps her arms around me as we rock side to side, no words needed. I didn't realize how much waking up alone would effect me. I bury my face into her neck until we break apart. The sun is now fully in the sky. "Come on, Jo, let's get some food."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie and I keep our routine. Every Wednesday and Saturday morning I go run with Hope, and Josie meets us outside about six thirty to walk back with me. We have been back in school a couple of weeks. Josie and I finish classes Friday and run into Lizzie and Hope. "Are you coming tonight?" Lizzie is practically vibrating as she speaks. "To what?" I haven't seen them since this morning in our first period. "There's a party tonight. Everyone is going. Come on we all have to go!" She includes Hope in this statement. Josie takes my hand in hers and talks in our heads. "Only if you want to, I don't care." I give her hand a quick squeeze and pull her closer to me so she pumps into my side. I lift my eyes from Josie to look at Lizzie. "We'll go."  
Last time I went to a party was when Josie got drunk and texted me to come see her. That night she told me she loved me still. I don't think she remembers it though. The sun goes down quickly and the four of us head to the party after I drink a couple blood bags. I haven't switched to animal blood for a couple of reasons but Hope convinced Alaric somehow that since I'm a hybrid I need all of my strength not animal blood level strength. He lets me keep human blood bags in a mini fridge in my room.  
Lizzie drags Hope off from us pretty quickly as Josie and I each grab a drink. "So, let me clarify this now instead of later. Yes, you are coming home with me." Josie tucks her chin and blushes slightly at the memory. "I'm glad I get to go home with you." We sit down on the opposite side of the fire so we can still see the party with the woods to our backs.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope has her arm wrapped around my waist keeping me close to her as my hand rests on her leg. She looks up at the sky and stars above with such a peaceful look. I lean my head onto her shoulder and close my eyes. I can feel the buzz in my head hitting making it feel heavier than usual. "Jo! P!" I lift my head to see Hope stumbling towards us. Penelope stands up quickly to catch Hope before she steps into the fire. "Hey, woah, Hope what are you doing? How much have you had to drink?" I stand up and help Penelope lower Hope down onto the ground. "Only a little." She slurs every word. Lizzie comes walking over with MG. "Hope, babe, what did you do? I turn my back for five minutes." Lizzie squats down in front of Hope and grabs her hand. MG walks closer to me and talks softly. "She was killing us in beer pong but then we took shots. It went downhill from there." All of us start laughing except Hope. We know how competitive she can get. "Come on, Hope, let's get you back." Penelope helps Lizzie walk Hope back to our room while MG and I walk a couple steps behind them.  
"You seem really happy, Jo." I step into MG causing our shoulders to bump with a smile on my face. "I really am." Penelope turns her head around to wink at me. She quickly whips her head back around though and catches Hope as she trips on the ground. MG and I both do our best to contain our snickers. We arrive back at the school and part ways with MG as we arrive at my room. I unlock the door and hold it open as Penelope and Lizzie throw Hope onto the bed. She lets out a grunt and shuts her eyes. All three of us sit there watching until we hear light snores. I turn to Penelope and lightly tap her arm. "Let's go, Pen." She looks down to our hands and interlocks her fingers with mine. She turns to Lizzie as we make it to the door. "Tell her when she wakes up that she doesn't need to meet me to run tomorrow. I can go by myself." Lizzie nods her head and heads towards her closet as we shut the door.  
We make it back to Penelope's room and start to get ready for bed. Both of our heads feel heavy still as we stumble around but we both only had a couple of drinks unlike Hope. "Do you want me to come with you tomorrow?" I collapse onto her bed and prop myself up so I can see my girl. "If you come with me, my wolf won't want to run." Penelope flops onto the bed from the side and rests her head on my stomach. "Do you want to just do our normal plan? Are you going to go as early?" She grabs my hand and starts to play with my fingers like she always does. "I'll set an alarm for 6. So maybe show up around 8 or 9? I'll know when you show up." I lean down and kiss the top of her head. "You got it."  
Penelope POV-  
It feels different running without Hope. I enjoy the time to think and be alone but I miss having someone to run with. The sun has been up for a while as I slow down to a trot. A gust of wind blows through the trees sending me a recognizable scent. JoJo. I change my direction and head towards the Old Mill to see her.  
I walk up the wood steps and see her sitting in her usual spot. I can't help it. I rush forward and nuzzle my head into her. She always smells nice but as a wolf, it is ten times stronger and I love it. I love her. I step back and lay down between her legs resting my head and paws over one of her legs. She lightly scratches behind my ears and down my back. I look up to catch her yawning. She must have just woken up. Normally, on Saturdays we enjoy the peaceful morning in the sun. Wednesdays we have to run off to classes. I love our little routine. Josie nods off after a couple of minutes with both of her hands resting on my back. I do my best not to move so she can stay asleep. I end up dozing off to the sound of Josie's heartbeat and breathing.  
Josie POV-  
My head rolls off the support beam causing it to drop down waking me up. I look down to see Penelope is asleep in my lap. She hasn't moved. I start running my fingers through her fur again as I listen to the little snorts she pushes out while she dreams. I could stay here all day like this. I tear my eyes away from Penelope to look around. I am rarely here when it is daytime. The ground slopes up slightly to our right exposing the dirt ground leading into the woods. There are a couple of black stones the size of dinner plates scattered across the ground. I mumble under my breath. "Those look a little odd." I look down to Penelope who seems to be stirring awake a little. "Penny, wake up." She immediately jumps to her feet and turns around towards me, her eyes filled with fear. "Shh, it's okay, Penny. I just want to go look at something." I point over to the black rocks. I start to walk over to them when Penelope jumps in front of me to stop me. "Pen, I'm okay." She shakes her head no and prevents me from passing her. "Fine, you go look at them then." Once she sees that I am not going to look at them myself she turns around and cautiously approaches them. She bends down and sniffs the edge of one before backing up quickly. She takes my hand lightly in her mouth and drags me further away from them. "Penny, what's wrong?" Our limited connection doesn't even allow for an answer from her. She lets go of my hand and nudges me with her snout to follow her back to her clothes.  
Penelope POV-  
"I'm telling you, Jo. It smelt burnt. Something was off about it." We walk back over to the Old Mill and do our best to observe the black rocks from a distance. "We probably need to tell Dad." Penelope protectively has me behind her with her arm across my torso. "Yes, we should."  
We make it back to the school and walk straight to Alaric's office where we find Caroline and Alaric discussing school matters. "Hi girls, what can we do for you?" Caroline gives off such a kind demeanor while Alaric just looks like he is irritated all the time. I turn to Josie waiting for her to speak. "We found something outside by the Old Mill."

Josie POV-  
Mom, Dad, Penelope and me begin our walk out to the woods with Hope and Lizzie right on our heels. We did our best to explain what we found but they wanted to see it for themselves. Dad called Hope to come check it out too. She looks like she has recovered from last night for the most part. She just looks tired but that is nothing new. Hope calls out to us. "So, you found these this morning after your run, P?" Penelope is getting more and more tense as we approach them. Her grip on my hand tightens until she lets go and moves to wrap her arm around my waist protectively. Her fingers twist into my shirt as she clenches her hand. "Yeah, Jo found them when we were just sitting in the Old Mill." We leave out the part about Penelope still being a wolf because Dad gets nervous with her wolf interacting with me. Even without our group bond, Hope and Lizzie see right through the lack of details and know what really happened.  
We step up into the Old Mill and a small growl escapes Penelope's throat, her eyes flash gold. Only Hope, Mom, and I could have possibly heard her. I pull her back from the group for a second. "Penny, you need to calm down. I'm okay, babe." I place my hand onto her cheek and my other on her neck. "Breathe." She closes her eyes and leans into my touch. She takes a few deep inhales before her shoulders loosen up and drop from their tense position. I lean forward and peck her lips before we rejoin everyone.  
I point out the black rocks to my Dad who begins to take a couple steps closer to them. Hope steps away from Lizzie and puts her arm out to stop him. "Maybe I should be the one to inspect them since I'm the only one who can't die?" The sass is evident in her tone. "Fine." He backs down. Lizzie steps closer to us for comfort as her girlfriend moves forward. Hope gets close enough to touch them before she stops. She looks over her shoulder and motions for Mom to come closer. "Can you smell this too?" I look over to see her eyebrows knit together. "Now I can. It smells like a bon fire. Like smoky." Mom has been a vampire for a while and has the ability to block out sounds and smells better than newly turned vampires. It explains why Penelope could smell it and Mom couldn't.  
I turn to look at Penelope and talk in our heads. "They couldn't have been here last night. Someone would have found them." Penelope nods her head understanding my thought process. "So, they showed up sometime this morning." We nod in agreement before turning our attention back to my family. "We need to move these. We don't know what they are, and we don't need students wandering out here and finding them." Hope reaches her hand forward and carefully grasps one of the stones. We all wait with baited breathes to see if anything happens. Hope readjusts it in her hand and stands up from her squat. "Um, I don't think these are rocks." Hope runs her finger along the front of it lightly and turns around towards us. Lizzie can read Hope the best of us all. "What are you thinking, Hope?" She turns towards Lizzie and pauses for a second. "I think these are scales."  
Penelope POV-  
Alaric has Hope and me move the scales to the underground pathway beneath the school so they are away from everyone. When we are done, Hope sets up a protective boundary spell preventing anything from the scales from escaping the ring. "There, all done." I open the door to leave when Hope stops me. "P, wait." I look over my shoulder to see her motion me away from the door. She waits for it to click shut before she speaks. "I saw what happened earlier. Your emotions just got a little out of check. We have a full moon in three days which explains why your feelings were so intense. The same thing happens to me. Just, try to keep that in mind. Maybe we should do an extra run to try and help." Hope has been so helpful though this whole transition. I'm so glad I have someone who knows what I am going through. Josie is an amazing listener and helps me control everything but she doesn't fully understand some of the extra emotions I feel. "Yeah, that sounds good. Does tomorrow night work?" Hope nods her head. "Yeah, we can go after dinner." We head up the stairs to find our awaiting girlfriends. Alaric and Caroline send us away to do our homework assuring us that they will notify with any updates surrounding the mysterious scales.  
Sunday night, the four of us sit down and enjoy a quiet dinner with all of us deep in thought before Hope and I leave to run. "Do you think they've found anything?" Lizzie twists the pasta on her fork in continuous circles never bringing it to her mouth. I think the scales freaked all of us out. They were huge which leaves our imaginations to run wild on how big this monster will be. Plus, whatever it was, it was close enough to drop the scales. It hits too close to home. "We can go check for an update with Mom and Dad while they run, Liz." Caroline asked Hope and I to keep an eye out for more scales whenever we go running. "Yeah, okay." We go our separate ways after dinner. Hope and I head to the woods and Josie and Lizzie head to Alaric's office.  
Josie POV-  
I stand in the kitchen mixing brownie batter in a bowl. I look down at my phone to see it's nearly 11:30. Penelope and Hope should be back soon. Almost right on cue, I feel a set of warm hands reach around my stomach. "Hi JoJo, why are you baking this late? I went to my room and found your little note." I pause momentarily to answer. "I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about yesterday morning. So, I placed a spell on the kitchen to hide me from the night watch guards." I finish mixing the batter and pour it into the pan while Penelope drinks from a blood bag she brought from her room. I set a timer on the oven then turn around to face Penelope. She waits patiently for me to start talking. "Mom and Dad had no update. They said they've been attempting to find research on the scales but they don't have much to go on. I just wish I could help more." Penelope screws the cap back on the bag and throws it in the trash as she steps towards me. "Let's give your parents a chance to find some information. How about we give them until next weekend? If they still don't have any news by then, we can conduct some research of our own." I step into my girl's embrace. Since she started running with Hope, she has started to smell more and more like the woods. She smells like home. "Deal." We grab our brownies from the oven when they are done cooking and quickly sneak past the hall monitors.  
Neither one of us is truly tired or looking to go to sleep any time soon, so Josie grabs her laptop and opens Netflix. Our plate of brownies quickly depletes as I hold up the last brownie to Josie's mouth. "Come on, babe. One more bite." She closes her eyes and shakes her head with a lighthearted laugh. "Penny, I'm so full. You eat it. You are the one who ran today!" She lightly shoves my shoulder. I collapse back on the bed and huff. "How rude." I catch her off guard by reaching forward and grabbing her wrist. She falls forward and lands on top of me. Our laughs fill the silent night as our movie comes to an end. Josie scoots forward and rests her forearm next to my head and lightly runs her fingers through my hair. Her entire body is on top of mine. She speaks softly. "I never want to lose this, Pen." Her eyes stay focused on my neck as she speaks until she finally looks up to meet my eyes. "I promise we won't. It is us until the end, JoJo. How many times do I need to say it for you to believe me?" I cock my head slightly waiting for her response. She looks up to where her fingers rest in my hair. "Tell me forever because that means you never leave."  
Josie POV-  
Penelope and I didn't manage to fall asleep until nearly 3 am. We walk into our first period History class and lay our heads down immediately on the desk. "Long night?" Lizzie and Hope take their seats in front of us. "Yeah, had trouble sleeping." I lift my head to see Hope wiggling her eye brows at us as she starts laughing. "Nothing happened like that." Penelope lets out a small huff of air and lifts her head up from the desk to look at me. She grabs my hand in hers with a lazy smirk planted on her face. "Still was a wonderful night."  
Mr. Williams walks in just moments later with a stack of books in his hand. He drops them down onto his desk before starting. "Alright guys, settle down. You have a new assignment to complete with a partner. We have been discussing the Greek and Roman Gods extensively where lots of monsters have been mentioned that do not exist in this world. You have one week to write a 2-4 page research paper on any mythical creature of your choosing; it does not have to be specifically from the Greek and Roman era. We will have a couple check in points for you to update me on your group's progress and research. You will present your research the week after you submit your paper. When choosing your monster, the only stipulation is that to your knowledge, the monster must not exist and no monster can be repeated. Bonus points for originality. Do your best and if you have a questions please feel free to come talk to me. I have brought in some old books discussing mythical monsters that you may use for research but our library also has an extensive amount of material. I will give you today to find a partner and to start your research."  
The class quickly breaks apart to find partners. Penelope scoots her desk over next to mine so we can discuss the project. I place my notebook in my backpack and zip it shut. "Actually, I think I want a different partner," I go to stand up when Penelope grabs my arm. "Not funny, Jo." I can't hold the serious look on my face as I sit back down laughing. "Kidding, Penny." Her forced smile quickly turns into a real one when she hears me laugh. This full moon really has her on edge.  
The class gets to work. Quiet chitchat can be heard between partners. "Okay, what kind of monster do we want to do?" Penelope titles her sheet of notebook paper with "Monster Thoughts:" then underlines it. "What if we do some research on monsters with scales?" Penelope writes down scales then stops. She hovers her pen over the word for a second. Her voice enters my head. "Do you think this project was orchestrated by your parents to gather more information?" I look up at Mr. Williams who has his eyes locked on us. He lifts his finger slowly in front of his lips and shakes his head no slightly. He had to know we would figure it out. "Looks like it was." Penelope follows my eye contact to see Mr. Williams dropping his hand back down into his lap.  
Penelope drops her attention back down to the sheet of paper in front of her. She blinks a couple of times and rubs at her eyes. "Pen," I drop my hand onto her arm to get her attention. She tilts her head to the side enough for me to see her eyes. The gold color is back. I stay quiet and take her hand in mine. She takes a couple slow deep breathes before glancing back at me. "Are they back to normal?" Her voice is low. "Yes, they are back to their beautiful hazel color." She lets out an audible sigh before lifting her head to look at me. I speak in our heads. "Little overwhelmed?" She nods. "Just a little." She leans forward and places her forehead on mine. I pull away shortly after which surprises her. My stomach flutters as an idea hits me. "JoJo, what are you thinking? What's wrong?" I give her hand a quick squeeze. "Will you go on a date with me tonight? I'll plan everything, I just think a little time for ourselves away from everyone would be a nice break and-." She cuts off my line of rambling. "Yes, of course. That sounds amazing, JoJo. Thank you." The bell rings signaling the end of our class. We pack up our things and get ready to go our separate ways. I turn to the right to head towards my advanced witch magic class. Penelope turns to the left towards her vampire control class. Our fingers slip out of each others as we pull away. "I'll see you at seven, Penny." I wink at Penelope before turning on my heels. Her voice fills my head. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	9. Date Night

Penelope POV-  
I don't know how to dress for tonight. Josie said she is planning everything. Instead of pulling out my phone to text her, I just ask in our heads. "Hey babe, what should I wear tonight?" I'm sitting in my last period of the day wishing that the clock hands could move faster. "Something warm." Something warm? I wonder where she is taking me. Finally, the bell rings signaling the end of the day. I grab my things and leave as quickly as possible. I used to love school so much but lately, it just feels overwhelming. I am doing really well in my classes and with homework but the interactions with others and crowded hallways leave me feeling anxious. I make it back to my room in record time. I still have a couple hours before my date with Josie so I drop my backpack onto the floor by my desk and fall onto my bed. My eyelids feel like they get heavier the longer I stare at the ceiling. I grab my phone and set an alarm for six to give me time to get ready for the date before I drift off to sleep.  
Josie POV-  
I walk towards my room to change after I finish setting up our night when I hear an alarm sound coming from down the hall. I continue walking to find it is coming from Penelope's room. I slip my phone out of my pocket to see it's 6:15 and listen at the door to see if she'll turn it off. I dig around in my backpack to pull out the room key she gave me and unlock the door when the alarm continues playing. Penelope is sprawled out on her bed still fast asleep. The loud sounds coming from her phone bounce around the walls completely uneffecting her. I grab her phone from the side table and turn off the blaring alarm before sitting down on her bed next to her. I lift my hand and lightly trace my fingers along the side of her face to push a strand of hair behind her ear.  
Penelope nuzzles into my touch and gravitates closer until her body is wrapped around me. She is such a heavy sleeper. I lean down and whisper to her knowing she can pick out my voice even when she blocks out other sounds. "Penny, wake up." I run my fingers up and down her back causing her to arch closer into me. Her eyes flutter open as she tries to focus on my face. "JoJo?" Recognition fills her face as she shoots up. "What time is it? Am I late?" Her voice is shaky with nerves. "Shh, I heard your alarm. It's only 6:20 now. You're not late." She collapses back onto the bed and closes her eyes. She drags her hand up my leg to find mine and lets out a sigh of relief. "Sorry, Jo." She squints her eyes open as she adjusts to being awake. "Nothing to be sorry for, Pen. Are you okay though?" She nods her head. "Yeah, school was just draining and these full moon emotions take a lot out of me." She scoots her head closer to my leg and leaves a kiss on my exposed skin. She leans back to look at me as I speak. "Then this will be the perfect date." I'm smiling hard as I look upon my beautiful girlfriend. I move to stand up from her bed but she keeps her hand attached to mine. "What do you want me to wear, JoJo?" She finally lets go of my fingers as I reach into my backpack and pull out one of my hoodies. "It's only fair you get one of mine." I know it is one of her favorites. I throw it onto her as I zip up my backpack and walk towards her door. "I'll be back in 30 minutes." She pulls the hoodie off her face and rolls her eyes with a laugh as I slip out her bedroom door.  
Penelope POV-  
I change into a set of jeans and Josie's hoodie as I wait for her to return. I grab a blood bag and sit on the side of my bed sipping it with a bouncing leg. Nothing about Josie makes me nervous but my body won't relax. My shoulders and upper back have been tightening more and more and no amount of stretching has lessened it. I don't know how Hope does this every month.  
I hear the door to Josie's room shut and her footsteps as she approaches my door. I cap the now empty blood bag and place it in my trashcan as she knocks on my door. My face lights up knowing it's her. I unlock my door and open it to see Josie dressed in a similar outfit as me. A pair of jeans and my old hoodie. Her hair is straightened and resting lightly on her shoulders. I look down to see she is holding a bouquet of flowers. "Here, these are for you." She lifts the bouquet and extends her arm to me. I step into her embrace and steal a kiss before I take the flowers from her. "You didn't have to, Jo." I walk into my bathroom to fill a glass with water to place the flowers in. "You deserve them. Plus, it's date etiquette, Penny." I place the flowers on the window sill corner and turn back around to see my girl standing just inside the doorframe. She is holding her hands together in front of her and shifting the weight between her feet. "I love them, JoJo. Thank you." I cross the distance and offer her my hand. "Shall we?" I can feel her apprehension towards bringing the flowers quickly fade. She nods her head. "We shall."  
Josie guides me out of the school but away from our normal woods spot. We continue walking at a relatively slow pace as I look up at the sky. I have a new found appreciation for the peace out here at night since I became a wolf. The sky is filling with stars as the sun finishes its descent. I can feel Josie's gaze and turn to see her watching me. "JoJo, where are you taking me?" I tug on her arm forcing her closer when she bumps into me laughing. "We are almost there."  
We arrive shortly at the lake enclosed within the Salvatore grounds. The wood creaks beneath our feet as we step onto the dock. I'm a little confused. It is too cold to swim. "Jo?" She hears the question in my head easily. She looks back out at the water once more before asking. "Can I have some magic?" I nod my head as our hands begin to glow red. She recites a spell I hadn't heard before then I watch as the entire lake gets covered in a sheet of ice.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope's jaw drops as the lake develops a thick sheet of ice across the top of it. She eventually turns her attention back to me as her mind starts to ask, "How did you do that, JoJo?" I step back from my girlfriend and walk behind a tree not far off the dock and grab two sets of ice skates. "With a little practice. Hope has worked with me on some better water and ice control in the past couple of weeks. I thought we could skate tonight. It's only us. Quiet and away from anyone else. But I have to warn you, I'm not very good." I walk back over to Penelope and hand her one set of skates. "Is this okay, Pen?" She still hasn't said much. "I love this. I love you. Thank you, JoJo." She wraps her hand around my waist and pulls me into her with a surprising amount of grace. "I love you too, Penny."  
Penelope POV-  
I finish lacing my skates and step off the dock. Fresh, clean ice is my favorite to skate on. I do a small lap before returning to the dock. Josie is sitting on the edge of the wood with her skates hovering over the ice. "Come on, JoJo." She extends her arms and wiggles her fingers waiting for me to take her hands. I skate over and help her stand on the ice. I pull her back away from the dock as she keeps her legs locked in place. "When you said and I quote 'I'm not very good' I figured you meant you still could skate." My lips curve up in a closed lip smile as I wait for a rebuttal. "Hey! I'm just getting warmed up. Woah-," Josie begins to wobble backwards. Her body threatens to crash onto the ice when I catch her. "Here," I extend my arm for her to latch on to keep her balance.  
We start off slow with me guiding Josie around until she got more comfortable on her own. I still can't believe that she turned this place in to an ice rink. I used to love to skate when I was little. It was the one family activity my parents took me to do around Christmas every year where they would both show up. "Look, Penny, I'm getting the hang of it!" Josie is skating about ten feet over from me. She looks so proud of herself. I blink away the memory I was reminiscing and quickly close the distance between us. I follow right behind her as we glide around the boundary of the lake.  
I can tell Josie is getting tired. We've been skating around this ice for about an hour and a half. Careful not to knock her over, I move closer and wrap my arms around her capturing her arms against her sides. She lifts her hands to rest them on my forearms. "This has been wonderful, JoJo." We are slowly moving forward on the ice, nothing propelling us. I can feel the slight shiver in her body as her jaw chatters. "I'm glad you liked it, Penny. I just wanted you to be able to have a break from everything. And when I saw that picture in your room of you ice skating with your parents, you looked so happy." Her shivering subsides as I radiate more and more heat. A blessing and a curse caused by the wolf gene. "I was wondering how you knew." I drop my hold on Josie and take her hand. She tucks her chin slightly, turning even more red than she already was with my comment. I guide her back to the dock and help her step up onto the wood. "So, do we have to let the ice melt or do I get to see my little pyromaniac in action tonight?" She has grown to like the nickname I think. A devious grin crosses her face. "I know the perfect spell."  
We both take off our skates and slip our shoes back on. I offer my hand for her to take more magic as we step off the dock. Josie leads me to where the ice and grass meet and kneels down. She places her palm flat on the ice and recites the spell. It truly is miraculous to watch. A small flame erupts from her hand and into the ice melting it. It continues to travel through the ice sheet giving off an orange glow. The ice breaks off into chunks and slowly melts into the water until they disappear completely.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope and I head back to her room concluding our date. I crawl into her bed and wait for her as she brushes her teeth. I open my phone to look at the pictures she took since she kidnapped my phone during the date. She claimed that she didn't want me to land on it and break it but I think it is because she likes my camera better. I click open my photos app and scroll up to find the beginning of them. Penelope comes out of the bathroom and lays down pulling me against her to look at the pictures too. She took lots of cute photos. "Oh, I love this one." She points to the picture I stopped on. I'm laughing with a huge smile on my face and reaching out towards the camera, towards Penelope. "I'm pretty sure I had just recovered from a near fall when you took this." The bed starts to shake with her laughter as she remembers. "I think so." She took tons of selfies with me in the background. Penelope is smiling and holding the phone out to the side where you can see me oblivious to her taking the picture and the progression as I move closer to her. My favorite picture looking through them all was when I leaned over and kissed her cheek. We both look so happy in the picture. "This one is going to be my new wallpaper." I select the photo and adjust it to fit my screen.  
I tilt my head back to look at my girl. Her dark hair falls forward framing her face as she looks down at me, her eyes begin to flash between gold and her normal hazel color. I click off my phone and set it down next to me on the bed never losing eye contact as I rotate to facing her. My voice is barely above a whisper. "Did you enjoy our date?" My hand moves up her waist and chest before settling on the back of her neck as her arm reaches forward and tugs my hips into her hungrily. "It was perfect, JoJo." Her breathing picks up with intensity. Our faces are meer inches apart as I look down at her lips. Her head tilts to the side as she begins to move painstakingly closer building up the anticipation. It doesn't matter how many times we do this, my body craves her. I can tell she is waiting for me to make the final move. Our bodies move in complete synch as I close the distance and catch her lips in mine.  
Penelope POV-  
My alarm goes off for classes interrupting my wonderful dream filled sleep. Tonight is the full moon. I turn off the new sound I set for my alarm and slip into the bathroom to let Josie sleep a couple more minutes. I come back out to see her curled up in my covers still, her bare shoulders are the only exposed skin I can see. I sit down on the bed next to her and graze my fingers along her collarbone. Immediately, something feels off. "JoJo," I call out her name as I place my palm on her neck. She feels hot. Josie rolls onto her back and forces her eyes open. "Do you feel okay?" Her breathing is different. It sounds more labored. "Yeah, I'm okay." This sounds different than her normal wake up voice. "You don't have to go to classes if you don't feel good." She waves off my concern as she walks in to the bathroom. I do my best to drop it and let her get changed for classes but I can't keep my eyes off her.  
I can tell Josie doesn't feel the best as we sit in first period. She takes her notes and keeps her eyes on the board but they seem glassy. When I see her at the end of classes, my theory is confirmed as Josie finally admits it. She has come down with something probably from the extended exposure to the cold weather last night. She trudges forward and nearly collapses in my arms from exhaustion. I don't know how she made it through all of her classes. "Hey, let's get you back to bed." I wrap my arm around her waist and help her up to my room where I tuck her into my bed. "Can I get you anything, JoJo?" She shakes her head no. "I don't think I can go out to the Old Mill tonight, Pen." Her voice is hoarse as she's interrupted by a coughing fit. I stand next to her holding her hand. "That's okay, JoJo. I'll be okay, and I'll come right back after I'm done running. Do you want me to have Lizzie come check on you?" She slowly moves her head from left to right. "No, she'll get sick." I can tell she is having trouble keeping her eyes open as the bed's warmth envelopes her. I check my watch to see if I need to leave soon to meet Hope. We want to try and run earlier tonight so we can get back earlier. Plus, our wolves will want to run longer tonight. I give her hand a quick squeeze. "Get some sleep, I'll be back before you know it." I let go of her hand and gently place it across her stomach and watch as she easily falls asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


	10. Explosions

Penelope POV-  
I carefully release my doorknob and listen for the quiet click as my key twists the lock into place. I step back from the door and listen for any changes in Josie's breathing. Nothing. I back away slowly then find myself at Josie and Lizzie's room door. I knock twice then hear Lizzie say, "Come in." I twist open the door to see Lizzie sprawled out on her bed. She drops her phone and hands onto her stomach waiting for me to speak. "Hey, so, Jo told me not to get you but," Lizzie cuts off my train of thought. "Then why are you here?" I do my best to shake off the tone of annoyance in her voice. I can't get snippy right now. It is just the full moon and the fact that Josie is sick that is getting to me. "She woke up feeling off this morning then it progressively got worse through the day. She has come down with a cold and I think a fever. She is sleeping right now but can you just check on her before you go to bed? Make sure she doesn't need anything?" I think Lizzie knows I wouldn't be asking her if I felt like I had any other choice. She pauses a beat then seems to realize she didn't answer as she stutters out her response. "Yeah, of course, sure. I knew something was off today but she said she was fine." Her attitude is completely changed. I nod my head. Josie would need to be dying for her to willingly skip classes which is why she went. I pull out my room key and place it on Lizzie's dresser by the door. "I'll come get this when Hope and I are done running. Thank you." Lizzie nods her head in return as I slip out the door and head towards the woods.  
I meet Hope in our usual spot right as the sun is beginning to drop from the sky. Hope usually gives off such a calm and cool demeanor but I can tell the full moon has made her more on edge. She doesn't say anything as we walk to our respective trees. "I'm so ready for this full moon to be over." Hope scoffs at my comment as she slides off her pants. "You and me both." Clearly it has affected her more than she has been showing. We both change into our wolves and take off running definitely not planning on returning any time soon.  
The sun has completely set as the stars in the night sky become visible. The moon has claimed its' rightful spot. My muscles and limbs stretch out and begin to feel better the more Hope and I run. We both seem to have exhausted our pent up wolf energy as we slow down to a trot after a long couple hours. When we circle by the dock that Josie and I skated at last night, something catches Hope's attention. She moves to stand in front of me blocking my view but I follow her movements. We both begin to stalk forward lowering ourselves down to the ground in a defensive stance. Hope stops moving as I glance around her shoulder. It is a new pile of scales. She lifts her snout to the sky sniffing, the familiar burning scent filling our noses. Her ears twitch as she listens to the silence. I pick up a quiet whooshing sound that seems to get louder with each hiss of wind. Hope begins to slowly back up, her eyes trained on the sky. I spot movement out of the corner of my eyes to my right which draws my attention away from the scales. A blast of heat sears my skin as a fire beam shoots from the sky and hits the scales. The once black scales quickly turn to a bright red and explode blowing us back.   
The blast sends Hope and me sliding across the dirt. There were three successive pops of sound that leave my ears ringing. I lift my head off the ground and attempt to look around me. There are scorch marks and small bits of grass still on fire. My heartbeat begins to pick up speed as my brain registers what happened to us. I roll onto my feet and find Hope a couple feet away as I try to keep control of my wolf. I stumble over to her as I throw my head around trying to prevent the impending panic building in my chest. I nudge her shoulder with my snout as she blinks open her gold eyes. I notice Hope's pristine white coat has a couple red spots now probably caused by the flying debris the explosion gave off. I take a step back from Hope as she grunts into a standing position. She looks at our surroundings for any clue of what just blew up the scales. When she locks eyes with me, I feel my last thread of control shred as my body begins to shake. My irrational human fear weaves its' way though the last barrier separating my human and wolf sides and takes over.  
Hope can't stop me. My only comfort is Josie and my wolf knows it. I am guided back towards the school as fast as my paws can carry me. I burst through the main foyer wood doors and see Caroline come running down the hallway from the direction of the wolf transition spaces in the basement. "Penelope? What happened? Where is Hope?" She must have heard the explosion too. My wolf only pauses for that split second, I continue up the steps to the third floor. My nails click successively on the wood floor as I race down the hallway before skidding to a stop at my bedroom door. I can hear that Josie is still sleeping but there is also another heartbeat in the room.   
The door is the only obstacle between Josie and me. My wolf takes a couple steps back before heaving itself through the door. The lock breaks out of the frame and the door slams into the wall inside my room. "What the hell?" Lizzie stands up from my desk chair at my sudden entrance and places her hand on one of my old grimoires, it quickly turns red as she siphons magic from it. If I'd had more control, I would have tiptoed across the wood floor and gingerly stepped into my bed with Josie but no. My wolf pounces onto the bed and smothers the semi awake Josie. The only thought flooding my brain continuously is that I need Josie.   
Josie POV-  
I woke up a couple times to see Lizzie sitting in the corner at Penelope's desk but I wrote it off as symptoms of my fever dreams. The medicine I had taken before Penelope left has worn off leaving me with an increasing body temperature. I collapse onto my back and trace my hands down my shirt. It is damp and stuck against my body but my head feels less heavy. Maybe my fever broke. I settle back into the bed with my eyes closed when I hear the crack of wood. I blink open my eyes to see Penelope's bedroom door frame is split and the light from the hallway is flooding into the room. "What the hell?" Lizzie's voice. I turn my head towards the sound when I feel all of the air push out of my lungs.   
I open my eyes to see two huge gold orbs staring back. "Pen?" She drops her whole weight onto my body and places her head down on my chest, her wet nose grazes the underside of my chin. Her heart is racing. I pull my arms out from under the covers and place one hand on each side of her face. "What happened, Penny? Why are you up here?" Lizzie comes into my line of view, her hand still raised somewhat in defense towards the large black wolf currently laying on me. "She just burst in here, are you okay, Jo?" I nod my head. Penelope cocks her big black head towards the door and lifts her lips. Her white canines shine bright in the hallway light as a grumble rolls out of her throat. Mom steps around the corner with Hope trailing right behind her still in wolf form.  
"Hope!" Lizzie completely forgets about the black wolf on me and runs around the bed past Mom. She wraps her arms around the white wolf's neck. "What happened to you?" Her voice comes our broken. She lifts her hand to the marks in Hope’s pristine white coat. The hot flames burned off some fur leaving a mix of bald spots and blood from the debris. Caroline steps around the couple and moves further into the room eliciting a more intense growl from Penelope. Mom puts her hands up as a white flag to show us she means no harm. I talk in our heads hoping it can cut through her wolf brain better than out loud, "Penelope, calm down. Mom won't hurt us." The growling stops immediately. Finally, we have quiet and that is when I notice Penelope is shaking.  
I slowly trail my fingers through her fur until she seems to calm down. She begins taking longer and longer to open her eyes after she blinks. Mom patiently waits for me to meet her eyes as the signal to talk. "Mom, do we know why there are two wolves in Penelope's room right now?" My throat is still scratchy from the runoff coming from my nose. I clear my throat in an attempt to better the sound of my voice. "I don't know, honey. I know as much as you do. I heard an explosion outside and ran upstairs to find Penelope barging through the door. Hope followed soon after but she was moving a little slower. I assume she was closer to the explosion. We will have to ask them when they turn back. I don't know why either of them has not changed yet." Hope finally walks into the room with Lizzie's coaxing and lays down in her lap. Both wolves are clearly exhausted and since Hope has some blood spots, I'm sure Penelope does too. The pressure of Penelope laying on me is comforting. I let out a cough stirring her awake. She extends her tongue to lick my nose then closes her eyes again plenty content to just lay on me. Mom looks between both wolves and her girls. "Lizzie, will you take Hope to your room and try and get both of them to change back? We'll talk in the morning with them to find out what happened. But right now, we all need sleep." Lizzie nudges Hope to a standing position and leaves with Hope right on her heels. Mom heads to the door next. "We can fix this tomorrow, too." She references the broken door and frame. I quietly thank her as she fits the door into the frame and leaves. I stop petting Penelope and lean forward leaving a kiss on her wet nose. "You can change back when you want, Penny but I'm here. You're safe." She nuzzles her head back down into my neck and shortly after, I hear small snores come from her mouth. I hope she's okay.  
Penelope rolls off my body sometime in the middle of the night but stays curled up next to me. The sun filters through the window waking me up. We forgot to set an alarm for classes with the incident last night. Penelope is still curled up as a wolf next to me on the bed. I flip to face her and see her eyes are open watching me. "Good morning, Penny." Her tail thumps on the bed. I scratch behind her ear until she twists her head suddenly to lick at her back and side compulsively until I pull her head away. "Let me see." I see the spot she was licking and find some dried blood in her fur. "Are they healing? Why are you licking?" She tries to get to them again. Her mind finally lets her communicate with me for the first time all night. "Clean." I push back the covers, walk into the bathroom, and wet a washcloth. I sit back down next to her and begin cleaning off the dried blood. I find some small bald spots as well similar to Hope where the fur was burned off. I manage to get her fur clean to her liking after a couple minutes. "Can you change back now?" She stands up and shakes out her fur before jumping off the bed. While she's changing back, I grab a change of clothes for her and change my shirt from last night. My girl is back. I hand her the clothes and sit down on the bed waiting for her to join me.  
Penelope sits down against her headboard facing me. "How are you feeling, JoJo?" I can tell she doesn't want to talk about last night. "I feel better. I think my fever broke. Looks like it must have been a 24 hour thing." Penelope shifts on the bed and winces slightly at the movement. I run my fingers along her comforter and find small stains of blood. I return my attention back to my girlfriend. "Can I see?" She knows exactly what I am talking about. She lifts up her shirt to show a couple cuts and bruises on her chest. Thankfully, everything is already beginning to heal. I run my fingers over the marks then pull her shirt back down as my phone buzzes with a text. "It's Mom. She says to come downstairs to her room when we are dressed." I step off the bed and reach for Penelope's hand. "Sooner we talk to her, sooner we can come back here." I can see the hesitation in her eyes until she places her hand in mine and follows me out of the room.   
Penelope POV-  
Josie and I sit down on the floor by the dresser as we wait for Hope and Lizzie to come downstairs too. Mom sits on the edge of her freshly made bed watching the door. I figure she wanted to meet in here instead of the office to give us more privacy and a more comfortable space to talk. Hope and Lizzie both walk in dragging their feet as they sit down next to us on the floor. Hope's wounds look mostly healed like Penelope's, but she definitely took the brunt of the debris. Caroline moves to sit on the floor in front of us placing us all on even ground. "Okay, so, who wants to start?" Caroline looks between Hope and me knowing we were the ones outside last night. Thankfully, Hope starts us out. "We went out for our run and we're finishing it up when we rounded the dock. I saw something on the ground and we investigated. It was more of those scales we found before. We both were looking up because we heard flapping sounds. Then fire shot from the sky and activated the scales causing them to glow red and explode. I didn't see what sent the fire though." Caroline nods along in appropriate places and then turns her attention to me to explain how we ended up inside. "Well, the explosion, um," I stumble over my words as Josie grabs my hand. "My PTSD was triggered. It took longer for my human brain to send the signal to my wolf brain which is why I could check on Hope but then it clicked. I felt it hit and my wolf knows that Josie calms me so it went to her." Caroline seems pleased with my answer but I feel like I have to explain myself more. "I have been getting better with it though. I've been seeing Emma. And, and my wolf just didn't understand the brain impulse it was sent." Caroline nods her head. "We can maybe work on that a little. I was thinking about how it took you both a while to change back, and I assume it is because the explosion forced your fight or flight reaction. Your bodies wouldn't allow you to change back until you were no longer in danger in their minds." We all four nod along in agreement. "Okay, that is all I wanted to talk to you about, to get the story. I am glad you all are okay. We will apply this new information to our research. Hopefully, it will provide a lead." We all push ourselves off the floor and get ready to leave the room when Caroline stops us. "Oh, and girls, take the day off. Heal, get better." I'm glad for the day off. We say our thank yous then head back up the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments below! Stay safe:)


	11. Fight

Josie POV-  
The four of us make our way up the stairs to my room. All of us are exhausted from our long night. Penelope and I follow Hope and Lizzie into the room and close the door behind us. We somewhere along the way made a silent agreement to stay together today it seems. I make my way over to my bed and sit down in the middle of it, my legs crossed. Hope goes to the bathroom, and Lizzie lays down on her bed immediately pulling out her phone. Penelope hesitates in the middle of the room. "JoJo?" Penelope's voice fills my head. "Yeah, Penny?" She takes one more step forward. "Can I lay down on you?" I scoot back on my bed and make room for her. "Come on you big puppy." She carefully kneels onto the bed with a small smile on her face and crawls forward. She drops her head down into my lap and wraps her arm over my thighs. I place my hand on her head and start running my fingers through her hair. I love when she lets me hold her.  
Hope comes out of the bathroom and joins Lizzie on her bed. Penelope turns her head to see them as I speak. "Hey Liz, why were you in Penelope's room last night?" She lifts her attention from Hope to look over at us. "Penelope asked me to check on you then I felt bad leaving you alone so I just planned on staying until they got back." I ball up my fist and punch Penelope lightly in the arm. "I told you I didn't need her to check on me!" My voice isn't as strong as I would like it to be. She knows I'm not serious. "Blame it on my wolf, she was being extra protective." I roll my eyes and return my hand to running it through her hair. Our talking dies down as Penelope's eyes flutter closed within minutes. Her grip periodically tightens on my shorts as she moves in and out of REM. Hope and Lizzie doze off next to me, the lack of solid sleep hitting us hard. I close my eyes and lean my head back falling asleep.  
I don't know how long I've been sleeping. I nuzzle my head into my pillow as I slowly begin to wake up when I hear quiet shushes and the rustle of paper. I force open my eyes to see I'm now laying in Penelope's lap. "What-," I mumble confused until I push myself up to a sitting position. Penelope is reading some book and Hope and Lizzie are sitting on her bed with some documents surrounding them. "How do you feel, JoJo?" I nod my head. "Good, I just, what time is it?" Penelope rubs her hand up and down my back. "About one o'clock." I lean back and reach for the book Penelope is reading. She holds it up for me to see the cover, "Dragon Subspecies: Everything You Need to Know". I turn my head to see Lizzie and Hope looking at sketches of dragons in old, tattered books. "We've been doing some research on dragons. We figured it would be our best line of research. But if we can't figure out what attacked us, we still have to write our paper. I wanted to let you sleep as long as possible." I push myself to the edge of the bed and stand up stretching. I lean down and kiss Penelope catching her off guard. "I'll come help in a minute, okay? I'm just going to splash my face to wake myself up." Her eyes follow me to the bathroom. She switches to talking in my head. "You can go back to sleep, JoJo. You're still recovering from being sick." Her voice is laced with worry even in our minds. I lock eyes with her before shutting the bathroom door. "If you're up after our night so can I. Plus, I want to help." She knows she won't win this battle. She lets out a quiet sigh. "Okay, babe."  
My phone buzzes with a text from MG about an hour after I started reading through our material. "Hey Jo, are you okay? I didn't see you in classes today." I show Penelope and she lets out a chuckle. "He hasn't been updated in a while, has he?" I think back to when Mom said we shouldn't tell anyone else. "Mom said not to." Penelope shrugs her shoulders and returns her attention to her book leaving me to provide an explanation. "I'm okay, I came down with something yesterday and I took the day off to try and recover fully." We haven't found anything new yet to provide the identity of the monster that attacked us so we are all a little frustrated. I shift on the bed trying to get comfortable. "Can I come by? I have some of your missed class work." I type back a quick yes and say that I am in my room. Not ten seconds later, there is a knock on the door.  
"Come in!" MG walks through the door with his backpack swung over his shoulder. "Ladies," he bows his head slightly as he enters. He takes a seat at my desk and sets his stuff down. "So, what are you working on?" We had a good cover for our research with the project Mr. Williams assigned. MG told me how he has that same class later in the day. "We are choosing our monster to write our paper on." He leans forward and takes one of the dragon documents off my bed and looks at it. "You want to do a dragon? I did one too." An idea crosses through Penelope's mind. She drops her book and directs her attention towards MG. "Yes, we saw this picture of a flying dragon with huge scales in the beginning of our research but we can't remember the name of it. Maybe you know it? It's scales can explode." Recognition fills his face as he rummages through his bag for a small leather bound book. "I used this book for my project. I was really intrigued with the Wyverns which are devolved sub dragon species. I think the Bazelgeuse matches your description. It is a really cool Wyvern but I ended up choosing the Rathian, a female beast of a dragon. She uses poison and her tail to-," Lizzie cuts off the beginnings of his rant. "Yeah that's great MG, can we see that book please?" He tosses the book to Lizzie and Hope who search the table of contents for the right monster. They find the right page and start scanning the description and information. Hope lifts her head from the page gives us a confirmation nod.   
Penelope POV-  
Josie lets out a huge yawn next to me and rubs at her eyes. "Sorry MG, I'm just still so tired. I think I'm going to take a nap. Can we meet up when I'm feeling better to hang out?" He quickly agrees and sets her homework on the desk. "Let me know if you need anything, Jo. Feel better." She slips under the covers and begins to nuzzle into the pillow until the door clicks shut. As soon as he's gone Lizzie cuts in. "We need to go talk to Mom." We very quickly speed walk down the hallway and towards Alaric's office. Hope steps into the room first followed by Lizzie, Josie, then me. She slams the book down onto the table. "It's a Bazelgeuse." Alaric looks up from his calendar and grabs ahold of the book. He begins reading as Josie pulls out her phone to text Caroline. It doesn't take long for her to rush in. "What happened?" Alaric offers her the book. "The girls found out what the monster is."  
Thank goodness MG came by to see Josie. That little leather book saved us. "So, how are we going to take this on?" Hope takes the lead again which we don't mind. I am still learning to control my wolf anger and don't want to snap. "Well, it doesn't seem to follow a pattern. You first saw the scales in the morning then they exploded when you were running at night. We don't have anything more than a general description of this monster from this book to base our strategy on. We need to wait for the right time-," Hope's eyes flash gold as she takes a step closer to Alaric. "Right time?" Her voice continues to rise. "We are sitting ducks! How can you tell us to just sit here and wait for it to attack? This could happen again! What if it is a different student next time that can't heal like a tribrid and hybrid that gets caught in the explosion? You would be sitting here explaining to the now dead student's parents that we were too complacent and incapable of properly protecting their child." Her last words strike a nerve with Alaric. He raises his balled up fist and smacks it down onto his desk. "We cannot rush into this, Hope!" Lizzie reaches forward and places her hand on Hope's arm. "Hope," she turns her head, and they lock eyes clearly having a mental conversation. My wolf is beginning to feed off Hope's energy. My leg is steadily increasing it's bounce height and my hands are shaky. Josie's voice cuts through my thoughts. "Penny, focus on me, don't let yourself get worked up too." I reach over and lock my fingers with Josie's.   
Caroline has yet to say a word. Lizzie locks eyes with her pleading for her to break the tense silence. "Alaric, Hope is right. We can't just sit around and expect it to go away. However, running into the situation blind will inevitably result in unwanted deaths, something that can be prevented." Lizzie grabs ahold of Hope's arm suddenly and swings her around. "No, you will not!" Only Josie and I know that they kept their bond. The adults look confused. Hope twists around to face Alaric and Caroline who are both waiting for an explanation. "I'll fight it. I can't die. It is the only option that allows for us to find and kill it now instead of waiting for more destruction." Lizzie's eyes are flooding with tears. "Excuse me," she drops her contact with Hope and quickly walks out of the room. Lizzie's sniffles get harder to hear the further away she gets. The room stays silent. "I would recommend you go talk to her." Caroline lifts her hand in the direction that Lizzie left. Hope pauses for a second before nodding her head. She opens the office door and starts jogging down the hallway after her girlfriend.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope and I both stand to leave. Mom and Dad know our stance matches Hope's on this. Penelope opens the door for me but pauses before she steps through it. She turns back to my parents with a level voice, "What if it had been Josie or Lizzie in the explosion?" She sends one last narrowed glare before shutting the door. "Do you know where they went, Penny?" I know she could hear them leaving. "It sounded like they went through the front doors. We can go check outside." Penelope reaches forward and grabs my hand as we start walking. "Thank you for keeping me calm in there." I tug on her arm to bring her closer to me so I can kiss her. "Always."  
We find Lizzie sitting down on a cement bench with her head in her hands. Hope is kneeling in front of her with her hands on Lizzie's thighs trying to get her attention. When Hope sees us coming, she stands up and rubs her temple with her fingers. Penelope waves her over to us. "Has she spoken to you?" Hope looks defeated. She shakes her head no. "I don't know what to do, Jo. What do you do to normally calm her down?" I look behind Hope to see Lizzie attempting to take deep breathes. "Let me go talk to her." Penelope and Hope follow from a short distance.  
Lizzie's eyes are puffy and red as she looks up at me. "Hi, Jo." I sit down on the bench next to her. "Hey Liz," she lays her head down onto my shoulder but stays silent. Penelope and Hope stand about twenty feet away watching with their arms crossed. "Am I overreacting, Jo?" Lizzie's voice comes out soft. "No, you care about Hope. You don't want her to get hurt. It is perfectly reasonable. I would react the same way with Pen if she was offering herself up." Hope comes walking forward. "Liz, I'm sorry. Please, talk to me." Lizzie's glare stops her in her tracks. "Do you even regret what you said?" Hope shuffles between her feet and fiddles with her hands. Her mind answers for her. "That's what I thought, Hope. I just, I can't right now." Lizzie stands up off the bench and begins to head inside. "Liz," Hope gets ready to follow after her, but Lizzie lifts her hand to stop her. "No, Hope." She drops her hand and continues inside. I look to Penelope and speak in our heads. "I'm going to go with Lizzie and try to calm her down. Talk to Hope, please." Penelope nods her head. "I can do that. I love you." She always knows how to bring a smile to my face. "I love you too."

(Bazelgeuse is from Monster Hunter World. I do not claim to have created it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave kudos and comments below!


	12. The Plan

Penelope POV-  
Hope and I watch as Lizzie and Josie head back inside the school. Neither one of us moves from our spot in the garden until we see the door click shut. I lift my hand and place it onto Hope's shoulder. "Come on, let's go for a run." We walk towards our usual changing spot. Hope keeps her eyes on the ground, her shoulders slouched. Finally, we reach our trees. Hope breaks the silence first. "P, I just don't want her to get hurt. If it takes me going after the monster myself to protect her, I will do it." She leans her back against her tree and rubs her eyes with the palms of her hands clearly trying to hide tears. "Hope, you are so used to doing everything by yourself, and we know you have had self destructive tendencies in the past. Yes, you have never been killed before but maybe we haven't found the thing that can kill you. What if this monster can?" Hope drops her hands and looks at me. This fight between her and Lizzie is really destroying her. "Lizzie probably sees your self sacrifice as nothing more than you not caring about yourself but you're in a relationship now. It means you talk things through but most importantly do stuff together. She would never let you go hunt this monster down by yourself and you know it." She rolls her eyes and lets out a scoff of air. "No, she wouldn't." A smile breaks on her face. "See? And your reaction right now shows me how much you care about her. Lizzie can see it too. She cares about you Hope just like you do for her."   
She scoots her way down the tree until she settles onto the ground. I sit down in the dirt across from her with my back pressed against my tree. "I can't protect her if she is there, P. I can't lose her. I can't-," her voice fades off to a mumble. "I know you have lost a lot of important people, Hope, but you can't live your life afraid to trust others. You let Lizzie in. Now, trust her enough to help you. We are all here for you. You aren't doing any of this alone because your girlfriend and two best friends are too stubborn to let you." She looks up from her hands to meet my eyes. "Hell yeah you all are." I stand up from the dirt and pat off my butt. "Come on, let's go for a run to clear your mind before you go talk to Lizzie." Hope stands up but pauses. "Thank you, P." I flip my hair with one hand cockily. "I know. I give great advice." Hope begins to belly laugh as she pulls off her shirt. She gasps for air. "Maybe listen to your own advice then next time you want to run away to Europe." I bring my hand up to my heart. "Ouch Mikaelson, that was one time." We both continue laughing, our moods lightened. Hope and I change into our wolves and start running.  
Josie POV-  
Lizzie follows me to our room. Thankfully, we didn't run into anyone we know. She wouldn't have liked that. Her face is still red and blotchy from crying. She walks into the bathroom and leans over the sink, the light still off. The only light flooding the room is from our open window. The sun is beginning to set providing our room with a golden glow. I hear her turn on the water. She splashes her face a couple times before dabbing it dry in the towel. I sit down on her bed and rest my back on her headboard. She looks up in the mirror at herself in the dark once more before sitting down next to me. "Do you want the lights on?" She shakes her head no. The light flooding in through the window is calming. Everything is still. We can't hear anyone talking in the hallways or bedroom doors shutting.  
"Why does she feel like she has to do everything by herself? Just because she can't die doesn't mean," she stumbles over her words. "It doesn't mean she can't feel the pain." I reach over and grab her hand with mine. "I don't think it is that, Liz." We sit in silence for a minute. Her voice comes out as a whisper. "What do you think it is then?" I turn my head to look at her. "Well, she loves you. And would do anything to protect you. She'd rather sacrifice herself than let you get hurt. I don't think this is about her, she's making it about you. Pen does it too. It might be their wolves as well being protective. But Liz, just talk to her. She's afraid of losing you. That much is clear." Lizzie looks up at our ceiling and lets out an airy laugh before returning her attention to me. "How did we both end up dating wolves and not just normal wolves but a tribrid and hybrid?" I think back to when Penelope turned into a wolf. She was so worried I would stop loving her, but nothing can stop us. We've overcome so much. "Wasn't intentional. You can't choose who you love."  
There is a knock on the door then Mom walks in. "Hey girls, can I come in?" We both nod our heads. She sits in front of us on the bed and crosses her legs in front of her. "Lizzie, are you okay, honey?" Mom grabs Lizzie's other hand. "Yeah, Jo helped me figure some stuff out." Mom pulls us in for a huge hug. When she lets go Lizzie seems to shift uncomfortably next to me. I nod my head in encouragement knowing what she wants to say. "Mom?" She waits for Lizzie to continue. "Hope and I are dating." There is no hesitation. "Finally, I had a bet with your Dad on when you would tell us. I just won." Lizzie looks happily shocked. "Wait, you knew?" Mom laughs a little. "Sweetie, you two weren't very secretive about it plus Hope's reaction in the office today just confirmed what we thought. We just want you to know we love you. No matter what." I remember telling them about Penelope. They were so understanding yet I was so scared to tell them. When she left for Europe, they all knew how much she meant to me and how much it hurt. They have always been so good. Mom gives both of our hands a loving squeeze. "Now, lets figure out a game plan that works for all of us."  
Penelope POV-  
Hope and I finish running and change back after a couple hours. The sun has completely set and the moon is out. I step away from my tree but stop when Hope doesn't budge. "Come on, Hope. Go talk to your girl." She steps away from her tree and begins to follow me inside. We climb up the wooden steps carefully avoiding the squeaking ones. We arrive at the twin's bedroom door. Hope reaches for the door knob but stops with her hand inches away. "You can do this," she rotates the knob and steps through the door frame.   
Lizzie and Josie are laughing on Lizzie's bed and watching something on her computer. I shut the door behind me and quietly lean against it. I cross my arms and wait as Hope steps nervously forward. "Hey Liz," she steps off the bed and walks forward straight into her arms. I can hear her whisper in Hope's ear, "I'm sorry about our fight." Josie closes the laptop and sets it on the side table before walking over to me. "Hey, Penny," I wrap my arms around her waist pulling her flush against me. "Hi, JoJo." Hope and Lizzie are still hugging in the middle of the room. Josie's voice fills my head. "Let's give them some privacy." I nod my head and let go of my girl to open the door. "We'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight guys." Hope steps back from Lizzie and mouths a thank you. I close the door and walk with Josie to my room.   
Josie POV-  
Once we are through Penelope's bedroom door, she kneels down and places one arm below my knees and lifts me up bridle style as I wrap my arms around her neck instinctively. "Thank you for talking to Hope, Pen." She sits me down on the bed and then crawls onto it placing her head in my lap. "I think what I said clicked. Guess we'll see tomorrow." I raise one eyebrow at her with a smirk. "And what exactly did you tell her?" She tilts her head back exposing her neck to look at me. "That she's in a relationship and has to talk with Lizzie. That it is different than before. She can't do everything by herself." She grabs ahold of my hand and kisses the back of it. "What did you tell Lizzie?" I shrug my shoulders and look up to our ceiling. She quickly sits up and places her hands on my waist catching me off guard. Before I can say a single word, she begins tickling me. "What did you tell her?" She punctuates each word a huge smile on her face. I can't manage to speak. Eventually she lets up and collapses on top of me. Her chin resting on my chest. "I said we are both dating protective wolves." I lean forward and kiss her forehead. "Damn right I'm protective. Wolf or not, I'm not letting you go again." She intentionally flashes her wolf eyes. "I'm glad." She rolls off me and moves to the bathroom to get ready for bed. I had already changed earlier before Lizzie and I watched a movie. I watch as she brushes her teeth then changes into her sleep shorts and t-shirt that fit her body perfectly. "What are you staring at?" She plugs her phone into the charger next to her bed and climbs in under the covers. I gravitate towards her immediately. She turns off the light then wraps her arms around me tightly. "You. My protective wolf." She growls against my neck playfully. The vibrations sending chills down my body. "I will always be yours."  
Penelope POV-  
Thankfully, Josie remembered to set an alarm for classes. The sound throws me off because it's not my usual wake up sound. I force my eyes open to see Josie turning it off. She rolls back around to face me. "Good morning, Penny." Her fingers graze the side of my face, her voice still rough, unused. She lays her head back down on the pillow and closes her eyes. The pillows muffles her voice. "How is it only Thursday? This has been the longest week." I scratch up and down her back lightly as she relaxes into the bed more. "It'll be over soon." I lean forward and kiss the side of her cheek before swinging my legs over the side and sitting on the edge of my bed. "No, don't go." Josie quickly sits up and attaches herself to me, a huge pout set in her features. "Come on babe. We have to go. Only two more days." She relaxes her body against my back. Her slow breathing pushes its way through the fabric of my shirt. She lets out a heavy sigh. "Fine."  
I have trouble paying attention in my classes. The Bazelgeuse won't leave my mind. Josie would nudge me for my attention in our first period but without her reminder to focus, I didn't for the rest of my classes. I start the walk back to my room at the end of my last class glad to be done for the day. I step around the corner to see my girlfriend come skipping towards me, a huge smile on her face. "Penny," she holds out the last syllable in my nickname longer than usual. She always has had the ability to lift my mood. "Hi JoJo." She grabs my hand and starts to pull me in the opposite direction. "Where are we going, Jo?" Without my super strength, she'd be pulling me down this hallway pretty quickly. "We came up with a plan."  
She drags me all the way to the staircase that leads down to the dungeons. "Who is we?" We slow down as we descend the stairs. "Mom, Liz, and me. We talked about it last night before you and Hope got back." We step out onto the concrete floor, our steps echoing against the walls. "And I'm just hearing about this now?" Josie spins around to face me. Her smile quickly fading. My question wasn't meant to be taken seriously. "I didn't mean to not tell you. I forgot last night with the Hope and Lizzie fight and-," I step into her space and press my lips against hers stopping her worried thoughts and words. She takes a small step back at the motion clearly caught off guard. Her back finds the wall quickly as her arms are thrown around my neck. I pull back an inch. My eyes never leaving her lips. "JoJo, I'm just playing." She nods her head slowly, our faces hovering in front of each other. I've been wanting to do that all week. My left hand keeps her hips pulled into me, my right hand positioned next to her head to keep me balanced. "Um, Lizzie and Hope will be down here soon, Pen." Her face is flushed red, her words jumbled. I lean forward my lips graze her ear as I whisper. "Do you want me to stop?" I nip at the skin on her upper neck. She leans her head back giving me easy access. "No." I shift my weight and lift her into the air, her legs locking around my waist. I trail kisses from her chin down to her collarbone debating where I want to mark. My wolf wants me to show everyone else that she is mine. The feeling has only intensified with her getting sick earlier this week. Josie's soft moans fuel my agenda bringing me back to reality. Her heartbeat speeds up as I begin sucking on her pulse point leaving a noticeable mark. Her fingers run through my hair pulling me closer to her until I pull back to admire my work. It will definitely leave a mark. "Penny," Josie's voice sounds out of breath. I hear Lizzie and Hope coming down the stairs now. Josie tilts her head back down to look at me. I lean into her mouth. "I love you, JoJo." She closes the distance forcing her head forward as I lower her back down to the ground. Her feet touch the ground just as the door swings open. Her voice fills my head. "I love you too."  
Josie POV-  
I try to act normal as my sister and best friend walk through the door but my heart is racing. I can feel it beating in my neck where Penelope marked. I lift my finger to the spot and tug at my shirt collar subconsciously knowing that our company will soon notice. Penelope steps back to face Hope and Lizzie with a huge smirk on her face, our hands intertwined. Hope seems to notice first. She gears her question towards Penelope. "Your wolf?" Penelope nods her head as Hope chuckles. "Yeah that's normal." Lizzie then notices. "Jo!" She rushes forward and hovers her finger tips over my skin before she quickly spins around and punches Penelope's arm. "Hey! That hurt." Hope looks reminiscent of another time as Penelope rubs at her arm. Lizzie shoots both of them a death glare as she steps around us.  
The four of us walk forward. Penelope knows where we are going. "So what exactly is the plan?" We stop just short of the secret cave door leading to outside. Hope turns to her girlfriend, "Liz, can you siphon the spell? It's easier than breaking it." Lizzie steps forward and siphons the magic from the protective spell which reveals the scales. Hope steps forward and squats in front of them slowly picking one up and examining it. She turns around and holds it up to us. "We're going to lure the Bazelgeuse to us with its own scales."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave kudos and your thoughts below!


	13. Biding Our Time

Penelope POV-  
Hope and I carry the scales out to the open field and create a small pile. "P, can you do a quick sweep and see if there are anymore? Be quick though." I nod my head and take off quickly zipping in and out of the trees with my vamp speed. I come back with eight more in hand and drop them down. Hope pats off her hands and steps back to admire the scales. "This should be enough." I look over my shoulder to see Josie and Lizzie on the stairs leading out here. Neither Hope nor I felt comfortable having them walk out here with us. "Everything okay, Penny?" Josie's voice is riddled with concern in my head. "Yes, JoJo. I think we have just enough." I can see her nod her head from this distance. I turn my attention back to Hope. "Okay, let's go." We start our walk back across the empty field. The sun has started to set leaving the sky in a mix of yellow, orange, and pink. Josie's attention is towards the sky. I turn my head to look at Hope with a devious grin on my face. "I'm gonna scare, Jo. I'll see you soon." Hope rolls her eyes and waves her hand at me to do what I need to do. I set my focus back on my girl and plant my foot.  
Josie POV-  
Hope and Penelope have finished placing the scales in the field. Hopefully, the field has enough clear sky for us to see when the monster flies over to check on the scales. If we can map certain times within the next couple days, we can plan our attack accordingly. It flies so knocking out the wings will be priority one. Then once it is stuck on the ground, Lizzie and I can attack while Hope and Penelope distract. Lizzie is sitting next to me on the stairs while I stand my arms folded across my chest. My eyes never leave Penelope. Neither one of them would let us walk out there fearing the monster might show up at that exact time. I understand but it still is hard. I think back to just a couple nights ago when Penelope's wolf launched itself onto my bed. I look up at the sky enjoying the slight breeze. The swirl of colors is mesmerizing. I love this time of night.  
Hope and Penelope should be back soon. I blink as I drop my head to look back at them but instead feel a wave hit me. My legs are thrust into the air and my head feels like it floats for half a second. I can't stop the squeal that escapes my lips. I open my eyes to see Penelope holding me against her. Her features are lit up in a smile. "You'd think you would be used to this by now. I've done it enough times." My body relaxes to her words. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you picking me up like that." Penelope smirks as Hope finally reaches us. She leans into my ear. "Yeah, caught you off guard earlier too." She winks at me as I lightly squeeze behind her neck. "Behave, Pen." She lowers me to the ground but wraps her arms around my waist pulling my back against her. She leans into my neck and kisses the mark she made earlier. "Not a chance."  
Dad asked some of his watch men to take shifts watching the scales. Hope, Lizzie, Penelope, and I all offered but he said no. Now that we moved the scales, our part is done. "This is ridiculous, the four of us could have done it." Hope and Lizzie are sharing a tub of ice cream at the counter top. "We are four of the smartest supernaturals at this school." Hope takes another bite of ice cream. I lick my spoon before responding. "Mom and Dad have their reasonings. They don't want us to skip school or get hurt." Penelope and I are standing across from the counter digging into our own tub of ice cream. She reaches around and wraps her arm around me. Penelope knows I love the physical contact so she does her best. She keeps me grounded. Lizzie piggy backs off Hope's comments. "Still, I wish we could help more." Her phone buzzes next to her. She quickly sets it down on the counter after reading something on it. "Yes! Party in the basement tomorrow night. Finally, I've missed parties. I'm glad they found somewhere to have it." Penelope lightly squeezes my side. She talks in my head. "Want to go?" I lean forward and kiss her cheek. "Sounds fun." She jumps back rubbing at her face. "Cold! Cold!" She stops backing away and drops her hands with a huge smile on her face. "Kidding, babe." She steps forward and pulls me back into her. I smack my hand onto her upper chest. My voice comes out kid like and whiny. "You suck. I'm just trying to be a cute girlfriend and you-," her lips meet mine, her arms holding me tight. "Gross! Get a room!" Lizzie balls up her napkin and throws it at us. She sets her spoon down and holds her stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick." Penelope and I break apart as Hope wraps her arms around Lizzie's shoulders. "Liz, baby, it's better that they are together than Penelope back in Europe." We have seen Hope be this sweet with Lizzie before but it still surprises us. Very few people see her like this. Lizzie lets out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Penelope grabs our four spoons and places them in the dishwasher as I put our tubs of ice cream away. We say our good nights to Hope and Lizzie then go our separate ways. Penelope locks her fingers with mine. I squeeze her hand to get her attention. "I definitely agree. It's better you are here." She turns her head to look at me. "I wouldn't change it for the world."  
Penelope POV-  
Only a couple hours until the party starts. My eyes stay stuck on the clock. I am ready for this week to be over. The bell finally rings signaling the end of the day as I pack up my bag. I head towards Alaric's office but run into Caroline on the way. "Oops, sorry Penelope." Caroline looks back down to something on her phone clearly distracted. "So, I wanted to see if there was an update?" I didn't want to openly talk about it here, too many people with advanced hearing. Caroline looks up from her phone, my question finally dawning on her. "Let's go to Alaric's office and I can show you."  
Caroline shuts the door behind us. "Sorry about that, I was reading the report. Our night duty people saw it about 11:30 pm and 9 am this morning. Both times, the Bazelgeuse would fly over circle three times then fly back in the same direction. Alaric and I want to see if a pattern sticks for a couple days before we attack. He already announced for students to remain in the building due to a potential threat. No outdoor activities are allowed right now. Hopefully, everyone listens and we can keep everything contained." I think back to the announcement he made over the intercom two days ago. He did a very good job of remaining calm. "Well, they seem to be. There is a party tonight in the basement instead of at the Old Mill. Monster or not, teenagers want to party." Caroline raises her eyebrows in amusement as she lightly laughs. "God, I miss parties like that. Are the four of you going?" I nod my head. "Keep an eye on everyone okay? Make sure my girls are okay but enjoy your night." She winks at me as I pick out the sound of Alaric walking across the floor. I stand up and throw my bag over my shoulder before opening the office door. "I will. I'll stop by tomorrow to get an update. Thank you." Caroline bids me goodbye as Alaric and I pass right outside the doorway. "Dr. Saltzman." We step around each other as I head back towards my room. "Penelope." The hallways have thankfully cleared out. I love how peaceful they are after classes end. I look down at my watch and mumble to myself, "Party time."  
I unlock my bedroom door and step through it to see my gorgeous girlfriend looking in the mirror at herself wearing a navy blue romper. My words come out in a gasp, "Wow." Josie turns around to look at me. She nervously rubs her hands down the front of the romper. "Do you like it?" I finally come to my senses and walk up to her as she turns back to the mirror. "Like it? JoJo, you look beautiful." I reach around and hug her from behind. "When did you get this?" She reaches her hand up to touch the side of my face. We both stand there looking at her in the mirror. "I got this when Lizzie and I went shopping a couple weeks ago. I wasn't sure about it but Lizzie made me buy it." I squeeze her waist tighter as I kiss the side of her neck. "It looks really good, JoJo. Maybe you should change though." She pulls her head back slightly to look at me. "But you just said," I let go of her waist and grab her hand to twirl her around to face me. "Because I don't want anyone else to look at you the way I do." Josie's cheeks flush red. "You're perfect, JoJo. Don't doubt yourself. Now, I need to change then we can go meet up with Hope and Lizzie." Josie nods her head as she sits down on the end of my bed with a slight bounce. Now, to figure out what I will wear.  
We meet up with Hope and Lizzie outside the twin's room. We aren't the only ones headed to the basement though, most of our classmates surround us. We make it to the stairwell leading down to the basement in no time and begin our descent. "Liz, are you sure there is a party? I don't hear anything." Hope's voice echoes off the stone that encloses the space. "Yes, just wait." We push open the door and are met with dancing teenagers and loud music that wasn't heard before. Whoever set this up did a great job. There are lights covering the ceiling and loud music that reverberates against the cinder block walls but stops there. A witch must have spelled the room because we couldn't hear the music until we stepped through the doorway of the basement. Lizzie looks around next to us with a glint in her eye like a kid in a candy shop. "I missed this." Hope rolls her eyes at her girlfriend's comment. I can see where Lizzie gets her extroverted personality. She lives for the social aspect of parties just like her mom. I notice the drinks over in the far corner. "JoJo, what do you want?" I reference the drinks. She pretends to mull over my question. "Surprise me." She sends me a quick wink over her shoulder as Lizzie drags her away with Hope.  
I enjoy the view from my corner for a minute as I sip on my drink. Josie is smiling and laughing on the dance floor as she moves with the fast-paced beat of the song. I love my introverted girlfriend, but I also love her wild side. "She seems really into this song." I turn my head to match a face with the voice. "Hey, aren't you the new girl? Jade, right? I think we have a class together." She nods her head and offers me her hand before remembering I am holding two drinks and awkwardly drops it. "So, are you going to go talk to that girl you were staring at? She is really pretty." I chuckle lightly. "Yeah, I am." Jade looks on with a faraway look. "Do you know if she is seeing anyone?" She bites her lip slightly before releasing it as she meets my eyes. "Yeah, heard she is dating a vampire." Jade nods her head clearly disappointed but she quickly hides it. Her eyes lock onto someone moving behind me. I look over my shoulder to see Josie walking over to us slightly out of breath. "Hey, you are Jade, right? I think my twin gave you your tour of the school a couple days ago." I extend my arm with Josie's cup in it to her. "Here, babe." She graciously accepts the cup before stepping into my side, my arm wraps around her waist with ease. "Yes, she did, and she did mention she had a twin. It is nice to meet you." Jade trips over her words but Josie doesn't seem to notice.  
I look down to see the hickey on Josie's neck is still very visible. She must have sweat off the cover-up she put on it earlier for school. That is one conversation neither one of us wants to have with Alaric which is the sole reason it was covered. Jade follows my eyes and sees the mark too. I look up to see her gulp as she fiddles with the plastic cup in her hand. "Well, enjoy the party. I will see both of you around I am sure." I wave goodbye with my hand that is on Josie's hip. Jade quickly scurries away and into the hoard of people, out of sight. Josie pulls out of my arm and turns around to face me. She looks mildly entertained but tries to hide it. "What did you do to that poor girl, Penny?" I shrug my shoulders with a laugh. "She just thought you were cute and asked if you were taken. I said you were dating a vampire. Then you came over and confirmed which vampire." Josie shakes her head back and forth. Her laugh fills my stomach with butterflies as she steps forward into my arms. She places her hand gently on my upper chest. "Is someone, " she intentionally pauses for dramatic effect as she curls her fingers into my shirt, "Jealous?" I pull her into me careful not to spill either of our drinks. "Nope, I know you are mine." She seems to like my response. "Well then, come on Ms. Park. I think you owe me a dance." She downs the rest of her drink before taking my hand. "Yes, my lady." I throw my cup away and allow for Josie to guide me out to the makeshift dancefloor. Anything for my girl.  
Josie POV-  
It feels like we are the only two out there dancing. All I can see is her. She makes me so happy. Someone taps me on my shoulder to get my attention and leans in to speak into my ear. "Hey Jo, Hope and I are going to go back to our room. See you tomorrow!" Lizzie's breath reaks of alcohol as she stumbles backward away from me. "Goodnight, Liz." Hope already looks like she is sobering up. She wraps her arm around Lizzie's waist to help support her. They are perfect for each other.  
This is one of the first times Penelope drank since gaining her faster metabolism. It took longer for the alcohol to hit earlier but now it is in full swing. My head lolls to the side as I turn towards Penelope, my happy little buzz keeping me in blissful calm. The party is dying down, and it is time to go home. Penelope is dancing by herself to the music completely enveloped in her own world. She seems relaxed for the first time all week. "Penny, let's go upstairs. It's bedtime." She grabs my hand and spins me around a couple more times. "Come on, Penny." I take her hand and help her find the door leading out of the basement.  
I know it won't take long for the alcohol to work its way out of her system now. "I didn't even have that much to drink, JoJo. I swear. I can get my own clothes." She sways on her feet behind me as I search in her dresser for her which is harder said than done. My movements feel heavy and slow. I blink a couple of times trying to clear the fog away. "Penny, you are drunk. Just sit down on the bed, please." I can hear her dragging her feet as she walks forward. "Can I have a hug, JoJo? I miss you." She doesn't even wait for a response before she latches onto my neck from behind. I'm quickly losing my balance. My body can't react quickly enough. We both crash to the ground sending my stomach into a panic. I push myself off Penelope "I'm going to be sick." I crawl across the floor on my hands and knees and just make it to the toilet as the alcohol pushes itself out of my stomach. The only pleasure after throwing up is that I feel better. I sit there on the cold tile ground with my legs crossed in front of me. I rest the side of my face on the seat. "JoJo, no no no." Penelope makes her way over to me carefully pulling back my hair. She rests her face on my back and lets out a sigh. Anyone looking in on this scene would probably think it is comical. Two drunk teenagers sitting together on the bathroom floor waiting on the alcohol to wear off. I tilt my head back to see Penelope's eyes have closed. A small smile forms as I think about how much I love her. My stomach has finally decided to stop doing somersaults so I reach back and run my fingernails up and down her leg. She shakes her head awake before pulling back. She squints trying to focus on me. "Let's get in bed, Penny. I feel better." She scoots herself back on the tile and pushes herself up off the floor but waits for me to follow suit. I swish my mouth with mouthwash to remove the stomach acid taste then make my way over to the bed, both of us collapsing onto it. My head is still spinning but less than before. The earlier concern about changing our clothes is gone. Penelope pulls me against her wrapping her arms around my waist. Our bodies seem to fit together so easily. I nuzzle into Penelope and have no issues falling asleep to the soft snores pushing out of her mouth. I hope our relationship always stays this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once this plot finishes, I have plans for continuing this story with a time jump to college. Hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it! Let me know your thoughts!


	14. Four Years Later

TIME JUMP 4 YEARS: Josie, Hope, Lizzie, and Penelope all graduated from the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted then started at the University of Virginia. They have shared a two bedroom apartment since sophomore year. They are nearing the end of their junior year now. Josie is majoring in neuroscience, pre-med track. Penelope is majoring in english. Hope is majoring in art history. Lizzie is majoring in business.

Penelope POV-  
Josie's hand is locked in mine as our arms swing between us freely. We begin our walk to our favorite local coffee shop down the street. We started a tradition when our lives became more busy, coffee together before class every Friday. Josie volunteers in the local hospital on Tuesdays and Thursdays after classes, and my advanced poetry class currently has group sessions on Monday and Wednesday mornings. We each are in seventeen credits this semester. "You going to get your usual, Penny?" Josie hasn't changed one bit. She is still the girl I fell in love with when we were fifteen. "Probably, you still going to get your chai with vanilla?" The glass door dings as we step inside. "Yes, please." She squeezes my hand lightly, a soft smile lighting up her face, before heading to our usual table by the window. "Hey, Penelope! How are you both this morning?" Anna is our usual barista. She always works the Friday morning shift. "We are both good! How is your new puppy doing?" Anna rolls her eyes with a laugh. "Still waking me up in the middle of the night, but she will get there. Do you want your usuals?" I nod my head. "That would be perfect." I hand her my debit card to pay then move out of the way to wait for our drinks.  
Something outside the coffee shop window catches my attention. The glare from the sun hides most of the person's details but they have their hood up and are holding a backpack in their hand. They keep rolling the strap in their hand adjusting it, anxiously fidgeting. "Penelope!" Jase the other barista reaches over the counter to hand me my drinks. I shake off my suspicions and turn towards the voice. "Thanks, Jase. We'll see you guys next week." I place sleeves on our drinks before lifting them off the counter. "I'll be here." The door's bell dings as I begin to turn around. The person who was originally outside presses their back against the door. I hear the clip of the lock as it is turned to lock the front door from the inside. They reach into their now open backpack to pull out a gun.   
It seems like everything slows down. My eyes stay trained on the gun as the intruder begins to swing it wildly around the room. My heart drops as it stops on Josie, the closest person to him. I quickly look around. There are too many people here for me to compel. I lock eyes with Josie her throat bobs as she gulps. Her wrist is empty. She must have forgotten to put back on the bracelet I spelled for her all those years ago as a gift before I became a hybrid. She has no magic. I look out the window to see someone outside ducking behind a trashcan. They fumble in their pocket for their phone hopefully to call 911. "Get down on the ground, now!" The intruder's voice sounds shaky. They clear their throat once before repeating their command.  
I lock eyes with Josie, the gun is still pointed right at her head. The gunman's hand is quivering, unsure. Jase, Anna, and the other customers all begin to slowly lower ourselves to the ground. I set our drinks back down on the counter before taking one step towards the intruder. My idea fills Josie's and my thoughts. "Pen, no. I am fine. Don't use your powers. It is too public." The intruder's hood slips back enough for me to see their face. I recognize them. He sat in the back of my freshman seminar but I never caught his name. He always kept to himself. What brought him to rob a coffee shop? I raise my hands to show him I am unarmed. "Hey, point the gun at me, not her. Do you hear me? Point it at me." Thankfully, Josie stays quiet. I take one more slow step forward until he finally rotates his arm and points the barrel at me.  
The guy turns to Jase to speak next but the gun stays focused on me. "Give me all of the cash in the register." Josie's eyes are burning holes through my shirt as she stares at the scene unfolding before her. The guy takes a couple of steps forward and flicks the gun slightly signaling Jase to empty the register. "Uh, what do, what do you want the cash in?" He fumbles over his words as he hastily tries to unlock the register. The sound of soft whimpers coming from one of the other customers fills the tense air. "Anything! Just hurry up!" I can hear the police are on their way with my advanced hearing. That person outside must have called them. Jase hands the intruder the coffee pastry bag filled with the cash. "That is it? There has to be more! Where is it?" The police are getting closer and closer. He probably has another minute before they swarm the building. "There is no other money. We empty the register every night. I swear." Jase looks to Anna wanting her to agree. She shakes her head aggressively, her eyes wide open like a deer in the headlights. "This isn't enough, this isn't going to be-," The gunman's head whips around as Jase kicks something metal behind the counter accidentally startling the trigger happy gunman.  
Josie POV-  
Not again. We all pause at the sound of the gunshot. Penelope looks down to see her black shirt slowly turning a darker shade of black on her left side. She lifts her hand slowly to the wound as she drops to her knees. She looks up from her shirt to me. Penelope and I know she can heal. No one else does. The gunman's jaw drops before he quickly unbolts the door and begins running away from the coffee shop. "I need to compel, Jo." Penelope has all eyes on her already. Her shirt is beginning to drip blood. It hits the tile and splatters over the floor. Penelope's breath is ragged, forced. "A gunman came in and took the money from the register. His gun went off but the bullet was a blank. No one was shot. We were never here today." They all nod their heads in agreement their pupils dilated, the compulsion making what Penelope said the truth. I reach around behind the counter and grab a rag to wipe the blood off the floor to leave no proof that we were here. Penelope grips her side and grunts as I press the rag to the outside of her shirt to apply pressure and help lift her up. "We need to go, JoJo." Penelope's teeth are gritted together as she picks me up with her right arm and throws me over her shoulder. Her painful cry out sends chills down my back. She vamp speeds out the backdoor of the coffee shop and back towards our apartment barely missing the entourage of police now circling the shop.  
Penelope POV-  
I run us straight up to our apartment on the third floor. "Woah," I stumble to a halt in front of the door and ungracefully put Josie back on the ground. She hurriedly unlocks the door and helps me inside. "Penny, come lay down on the table." Josie very quickly Clorox wipes it and pushes off the placemats. "Fuck JoJo, this really hurts." I crash down onto the table and continue holding my side, afraid to look at it. I have worked years to get over getting shot in high school, only for it to happen again. "We could take you to a hospital, you could get help there then we compel." I start shaking my head back and forth. "No, they will see my super healing, and I barely compelled the people in the coffee shop. I don't have the energy to compel a whole hospital." This morning has been exhausting. "Penny, I'm going to take a look okay?" I nod my head as Hope and Lizzie come walking into the kitchen. "What the hell is going on?"  
Josie carefully peels my shirt off my skin and rolls it up not even acknowledging Hope and Lizzie's presence. The shirt is soaked with blood. "I need to pull this off." Hope helps me sit up just enough for Josie to pull off my shirt. "Jo, what happened?" Hope moves to my right side as Lizzie steps next to her. "We went to get coffee like usual. Someone robbed it. The gunman was anxious and when Jase kicked something behind the counter in his nervous state, the gunman was jumpy and accidentally shot." Josie starts dabbing away the blood with some gauze. "Liz, come hold your phone's flashlight up for me, will you?" I look up to the ceiling thinking about everything I learned with Emma. I take long steady breaths and close my eyes. I force myself to remember happy memories with Josie, all the times that made us smile. "Thank god, I think it missed any organs but I need to pull it out, Pen. Your body is already trying to close the hole around the bullet." Hope says a quick spell I recognize to prevent anyone outside of this apartment from hearing us. "Here," Hope grabs a kitchen towel out of the drawer and folds it up. She slides it into my mouth and takes her place back by my side. She grips my hand with hers and places her other across my legs. Lizzie grabs Josie some tweezers from the bathroom and cleans them with some alcohol. "Pen, I don't know if I can do this." Josie's eyes are filled with fear. I speak in our heads. "This is what you want to do with your life, Jo. You can do it. I trust you. I love you, JoJo." Josie sets the tweezers in her hand and dabs at the wound with some more gauze. "I love you too, Penny." The sound of my muffled screams through clenched teeth and closed eyes is the last thing I remember before I blackout.  
Josie POV-  
I finally manage to get ahold of the bullet and pull it out. My hands are covered in blood as I set the bullet and tweezers down onto the table. Penelope's wound is already beginning to close up and stop bleeding. I walk into the kitchen and wash my hands in the sink right as Penelope's head rolls to the side as she gains consciousness. "JoJo?" Her voice comes out so quiet. I rush back over to her. "Hey, Penny, how are you feeling?" I lean down and place my hand on her cheek. "Did you get it out?" She sounds so tired, her voice gravelly. I nod my head, tears filling my eyes. "Yes, baby. I got it out." She leans into my touch as I rub my thumb across her cheek. "I knew you could do it. You'll be a great doctor one day." Hope and Lizzie take a step back to give us some space. Lizzie steps into Hope's side as she wraps her arm around her as they watch us. We really have become our own little family. Penelope closes her eyes, a small smile fills her face as she sighs. "I need to stop getting shot, huh?" A wet laugh escapes my lips as she readjusts on the table. "Yes, Penny, please stop getting shot." I lean forward and press our foreheads together. I look up to see Lizzie waving her hand at me to take Penelope back to our room. "Come on, you need some rest. Let's skip class today and nap." Penelope agrees and takes my hand. She carefully shuffles off the table and follows me out of the room.  
Penelope POV-  
I love the way Josie and I set up our room. We have two windows on the far wall with our bed positioned between them. Looking into the room, our closet is on the left and the bathroom on the right. We have pictures of us, our friends, and family on the walls which gives our room a very homey feeling. We have easily made this space ours. Josie helps me sit down on the bed edge as she finds me clothes since I am still in just my jeans and bra. This feels like the night we got drunk junior year of high school and Josie tried to find me clothes. I run my hand down my jeans and over my pocket like I have done so many times lately to find it empty. Shit, where did the ring go? I feel around in my other pocket for the box. Nothing. Did it fall out when we were at the coffee shop? I have carried it around for the past couple of weeks just looking for the right time and place to propose. I decided on doing it this morning after our usual coffee date but the plan was halted pretty early. I already have Alaric, Caroline, Lizzie, and Hope's blessing. Josie hands me a shirt and sweatpants to put on. She helps me change before getting clothes for herself. "Hey Jo, I'm going to grab a snack from the kitchen. Can you pick out something for us to watch?" I push myself off the bed with a deep grunt. Josie quickly moves to help me stand. "Pen, let me get you something. I can go." I do my best to not seem suspicious. "It is probably better for me to walk around a little. I got it, JoJo." I flash my best "Penelope" smile and step out of our room shutting the door behind me.   
It does not feel better to walk around. All I want to do is lay down. I trudge into the kitchen and move straight to the table where I was previously laying. It has been wiped clean of blood, probably by Lizzie and Hope. My breathing has become more labored with the movement as I step up to the table and use it for support. I turn to look at Hope and Lizzie who are now sitting in the living room. "I knew you'd come looking." Hope holds up the box for me to see in the air. A wave of relief passes over me. "It was falling out of your pocket when you were on the table so I grabbed it to hide it from Jo. When are you going to ask her again?" I look over my shoulder to see our bedroom door is still shut. "I was going to take her to the park that we do picnic dates at this morning after coffee and do it there but we got a little interrupted." They have been harassing me to do it since I asked for their blessing and showed them the ring. "Sureee, sounds like an excuse to me." Lizzie rolls her eyes as they both laugh quietly careful not to alert Josie. They only want the best for us, and they know how happy we make each other. "Soon, it'll happen." Hope nods her head with an amused look on her face as I put the ring back in my pocket and grab some chips from the pantry to keep up with my cover story. "Good luck." I walk back to our bedroom and open the door.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope gets settled against my side, my arm holding her against me. It doesn't matter how many times I tell myself she can't die. My brain can't bypass the fear. Her shirt is pulled up slightly to reveal her old gunshot wound that scarred. It took her so long to learn to control her body's response to loud noises and anything that reminded her of that night. The new wound has completely closed up now and is pink. Both shots were none fatal but in opposite sides. By the end of the day, it should be healed like new. She will probably just be sore for a little bit. Penelope grabs the remote and pauses our movie then looks up at me interrupting my onslaught of thoughts. "Remember when we fought the bazelgeuse junior year?" I nod my head. "I don't think I will ever forget it. That was a long day." I lightly place a piece of fallen hair behind Penelope's ear. "Why, Pen?" She seems to be looking past me as she recalls that day before remembering her initial reason for asking.  
FLASHBACK:  
Penelope POV-  
"Jo, please drink it." Josie is standing in the middle of my room with a cup of my blood in her hand. She is procrastinating drinking it. "Pen, I just," I shoot her a knowing look; we'd already discussed this. We don't know how this will end and the only reason I am alive is that Hope gave me her blood before the fight with the Wendigos. She finally brings the cup up to her lips; I know she has never liked the taste of blood. Her face scrunches up as she swallows the rest of it shaking her head slightly. "There, finished it." I hand her a glass of water to clear her mouth with. "Thank you, JoJo."  
It has been four days since the party. The bazelgeuse has kept its' routine for five days so Alaric and Caroline finally agreed that we could attack. We set up a "field trip" for the younger kids and most of the upperclassmen to visit the armory for our attack day. Dorian and Alaric are the guardians for it. "I am so glad Dad let us bring in MG, Kaleb, Raf, and Landon. They will be helpful in the fight." I nod my head in agreement with Josie. I would have personally liked for it to just be Hope, Lizzie, Josie, and me again but more people can be useful. Super squad reunites. Josie and I head down the stairs to meet up with everyone. The last bus pulls away for the field trip around eight leaving us with an hour to prepare before the bazelgeuse should fly by. We meet up with Hope and Lizzie first. I lean into Hope to speak to her. "Did you give her your blood?" Hope nods her head. "I wouldn't let her leave the room without drinking it." Yep, our girlfriends are definitely twins.  
We all walk outside with our respective partners. Landon is paired with Raf, MG with Kaleb, Caroline with Emma, Lizzie with Hope, Josie with me. We each take corners creating an odd pentagon shape around the scales, far enough away from the scales not to alert the bazelgeuse but close enough to see it fly overhead. We were early. Each of us is tense as we hide in our ambush spots. We have a general plan of attack but nothing super concrete because we don't know what will be effective. The only thing we know for sure that was stated in the book is that fire won't do anything. Most of our witches including my little pyromaniac excel in using fire better than water or ice. It takes more control than fire which could be fueled with adrenaline, fear, and anger. Water and ice takes calm nerves and control.  
All of the vampires and wolves start looking to the sky. We can hear a rush of wind like wings flapping in the sky getting closer. Caroline raises her hand to signal the arrival. This feels like deja vu. We sat and waited for the Wendigos to attack, we surrounded them, and figured out the best plan of attack as we went along. Josie and I have been holding hands the entire time in our stakeout location but I give her hand a squeeze. "I love you, JoJo." So much was said with those words. We have never said them just to say them even when we originally started dating. "I love you too, Penny." Josie leans over and presses her lips to mine sealing our words.  
The bazelgeuse finally flies overhead into view. Josie begins siphoning from my hand causing them to glow red. Lizzie and Hope are doing the same thing. All of the witches lock eyes and move in synch even from a distance. There seems to be some unheard countdown in their heads. Hope, Lizzie, Emma, and Josie all raise one hand to the sky and recite the first spell of the morning.  
Josie POV-  
We quickly knock the bazelgeuse out of the sky by breaking its' wings but that seems to have been the easiest part. At least, we don’t have to dodge falling and exploding scales now. I continue siphoning from Penelope as I shoot off spell after spell. I look over to see Hope's ice spell make contact with the back of the bazelgeuse's front leg. It begins smoking as the bazelgeuse stumbles forward. "We need a distraction!" I lock eyes with Mom then MG and Kaleb. The bazelgeuse's reaction time is slow but it has powerful attacks. If it is distracted by the vampires then we can aim for its legs and head. "Pen, you should help them." Penelope has mostly protected me this entire fight and provided me with magic. She shakes her head no. "I am not leaving your side." She is the reason I am not a vampire right now. "Penny, I will be okay. I have enough magic for me to defend myself while you help them." I know I will quickly deplete but I know she wants to help them with the distraction. "Go, Penny." I take one more pull of magic before Penelope darts away.  
We develop a pretty sound attack strategy. The vampires distract the bazelgeuse's focus away from us. We move into a proper position to attack the limbs. We found out that it can hear headshots and somehow manages to avoid them every time even with its' slow reaction time. "We need to knock out its' limbs before we go for the head!" Lizzie screams out to Hope, Emma, and me. I talk into our heads. "Pen, I need some magic." All it takes is me blinking, and my girl is back. "Here," she offers me her left hand intentionally twisting her body oddly to avoid giving me her other hand. "What did you do?" I haven't even siphoned yet. I take her right hand in mine and look it over. It is covered in red splotchy marks that have already begun blistering. "Mild burn, JoJo. It'll heal."   
PRESENT TIME:  
"I thought you were supposed to be fast." Penelope rolls her eyes at my comment. "I got distracted and ended up catching the tail end of its' fire attack after rushing Raf out of the way. It healed quick enough though." I take her hand in mine, no scars. The only scar she has on her body is from the first gunshot wound she got before she developed super healing. "Now that I think about it, you've gotten injured a lot, Penny." Gunshot. The wendigos. The bazelgeuse. Gunshot number 2. Her pain tolerance is through the roof. "They were all worth it." I tilt my chin down to kiss the top of her head. "You used to always say I was the selfless and you the selfish. You don't give yourself enough credit."  
FLASHBACK:  
Penelope POV-  
Josie shoots me a disappointed yet concerned look. "JoJo, I am okay, promise. Let's get this finished and then you can heal my hand if that will make you feel better." I look over her shoulder to see Raf running around as his wolf thanks to the ring Hope gave him, Landon is flying overhead drawing the bazelgeuse's attention up, Mom, Kaleb, and MG are running circles around its legs. There is so much movement that the bazelgeuse can't concentrate on any one thing for too long. Hope and Lizzie get lucky with two more shots to the front legs while Emma burns the back left. It should drop soon. "Be careful," Josie siphons more magic before I join the others again. I glance over my shoulder to see Josie watching me as I run away. "I always try to."  
MG, Kaleb, Caroline, and I divert the bazelgeuse's attention behind it allowing for Josie to shoot her spell. I can still hear the sound in my head of the thick, stocky leg falling to the ground. The leg and body are both cauterized by the ice spear that Josie launched into it, similar to the effects that dry ice has on things it touches. The leg is frosted over as the bazelgeuse cries out in pain. Hope, Lizzie, and Emma take their places and use the moment of weakness for the bazelgeuse to their advantage. They shoot off similar spells to Josie causing the bazelgeuse to crash to the floor. We circle the monster watching as it attempts to move, to fly with its' broken wings, to hit us with fire from its' mouth to no avail.   
Josie steps into my side burying her head into my shoulder as the bazelgeuse continues to screech. Her silent tears begin to soak my sleeve. It is clearly in a lot of pain. "Hope," Caroline steps in front of the bazelgeuse and motions to her. "End its' pain." Hope takes Caroline's place and raises her hand up, palm facing the monster's snout. It seems to accept what is to come next. It locks eyes with Hope, its' cries sound like it is now begging for her to help it. Four words leave Hope's mouth ending the life of the bazelgeuse that has terrorized our school for weeks, that has attacked us and made us worry about our safety. We had to protect our own. We all stay quiet, a moment of silence for this monster that knew of no other way of life. I hold Josie tight to me, her sniffles lessening with each passing minute until she pulls away to look at me, her eyes red and her nose runny. It doesn't matter that this monster hurt us countless times. She recognizes the reason behind its' attacks because we were seen as threats. Even after everything, she forgives it just like she forgave me.  
PRESENT:  
Penelope POV-  
"It showed me again how great of a human you are. You took compassion on an animal that had only hurt us, hurt you. I don't think we would be together right now if you didn't," I get choked up on my words as I try to continue but Josie holds me tight against her reassuring me that I am heard. "I should have never left you. You have never needed to change because it is that side of you that give me a second chance to be apart of your life. To let me treat you like you deserve. Please don't ever change for anyone, JoJo." Her teary eyes meet mine. "You were only doing what you thought was best." We have come so far since that night that I left for Belgium. "JoJo," I sit up leaving Josie with a mildly confused look on her face. I run my hand over my pocket, over the ring that I have been wanting to give to my girl for weeks to show her that I only want her. I pull out the box from my pocket. Josie raises her hands to cover her mouth. Her eyes become squinty, a smile breaking on her face.   
"JoJo, we have been through a lot and damn do I mean a lot." I reach forward and open the box facing it towards my girlfriend as I take a knee onto the ground next to Josie. "And, I don't want to live another day of my life without you by my side." I take her hand in mine. The outside world is completely unaware of our little moment but to us, it fills the room. "Josette Olivia Saltzman, will you do me the great honor of marrying me?" She doesn't even hesitate. She starts nodding her head over and over again. "Yes, baby. Yes, I will marry you." She leans forward and grabs my face pulling it to her. "May I?" I take the ring out of the box as Josie offers me her left hand. The ring fits perfectly. "It is beautiful, Penny." I shift onto the bed and position myself against the headboard before pulling Josie into my lap. "I hoped you would like it." She places her hand on the back of my neck to kiss me again when she abruptly pulls back. "We need to show Lizzie and Hope!" She shifts around placing her back to my stomach. I hold up my phone camera in front of us as she holds up her hand to show the ring to the camera. Josie has the biggest smile on her face as I kiss her cheek in the picture, the ring clearly visible. My beautiful fiancee. She sits back into me and prepares the text message. "I love you, JoJo." She looks back at me right as she hits send. "I love you too, Penny."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope the length makes up for the wait! Please leave comments below. They make my day.


	15. Virginia-> Belgium and Road Rash

Penelope POV-  
I proposed to Josie two months ago where she said yes. We told all of her family and my mom. Everyone has been super excited for us. Josie and I booked a trip out to Belgium to visit my Mom for two weeks after the spring semester of our junior year ends.  
"JoJo, come on babe. We can't be late getting to the airport." Josie is throwing a couple last minute items into her bag. I already packed the car with my stuff. "There, I'm done." I take the bag from her hands and begin to follow her out of our room.  
Lizzie and Hope are sprawled out on the couch together in the living room looking at Lizzie's phone before they go to bed. They both look up as we walk towards the door. "Have a good trip!" Lizzie jumps up in her fleece pjs and gives Josie a huge hug. They start into their own little conversation together as Hope gets off the couch and meets me at the door.  
Hope and I turn to watch their interactions. "They act like they won't see each other for the next decade every time they say goodbye. What is going to happen when we each move into our own places after college?" I set down Josie's bag against the wall and sigh. "Probably mandatory weekly sleepovers and sister time. You and I can go on best friend dates while they have sister dates." Hope begins to laugh as Josie finally steps away from her sister. "You're on Park." Hope knuckle bumps me before pulling me in for a hug. "Have a good trip. We'll see you in a couple weeks." Josie sneaks a quick hug from Hope after me as I open the door for her and pick up her bag. "And we're finally off."  
Josie and I make it through security with plenty of time to go to the bathroom and get some snacks before boarding starts. "See? Why did you have to rush me? We got here in plenty of time." I drop my hand down onto Josie's thigh as she chomps down on some of her chexmix. "Because, you know how I am. I would rather be early than late." I continue to sip on my water as Josie places her free hand on top of mine and interlocks our fingers. "I know, Penny." She kisses my cheek before returning to her food.  
I have always struggled with time changes. When we land, it will be about five in the afternoon. Seven and a half hour flight from Virginia to Brussels, Belgium. Eight hour time change. It took me a good couple days of running on caffeine to stay awake during the day and to sleep at night the first time around.  
I shoot my Mom a quick text after Josie and I get settled into our plane seats to let her know we are getting ready to take off. "Okay honey, have a safe flight. See you both soon!"  
I show my phone to Josie who smiles softly at the text. "Mom is really excited to officially meet you, JoJo." We have FaceTimed with her a couple times where Josie got to talk with her but not in person yet. "I can't wait to meet her."  
Josie lets out a yawn as she puts in her ear buds and picks a song on her phone. We are pulling onto the tarmac and just waiting for the okay to take off. The overhead lights are off to allow for the passengers to sleep. Josie leans her head down onto my shoulder and locks her fingers with mine. "Goodnight, babe." I kiss the top of Josie's head as she dozes off to the music playing in her ears. I rest my head against the side wall of the plane and look out the window as our plane lifts off the ground and into the night sky.  
I manage to get a little sleep but my head keeps rolling off the plane wall waking me up. Josie is still fast asleep holding my hand. I rotate her hand just enough to see the ring. It is perfect for her. I went with a simple silver princess cut ring, beautiful but not too flashy. I catch Josie looking at it all the time with a huge smile on her face. Whenever we talked about getting married, that is the ring she would describe.  
Josie begins to wake up at the sun rises and shines into the plane window. It is only about four in the morning our time so I am surprised she's up. She grabs her phone to check the supposed time before pulling out one earbud. "Have you slept at all, Pen?" I nod my head. "A little. On and off."  
Josie takes her hand back and pulls her bag up from under the seat in front of her to grab her laptop. "What are you doing?" She folds down the tray table and opens up her computer. "Studying." She turns her attention back to me after logging in. "What? I want to get ahead, Penny." I laugh quietly as to not wake the people around us. "I didn't say anything, babe. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have such a smart and beautiful fiancée. I know you heard me in your head." Her cheeks turn a slight shade of red in the sunlight as she tucks her chin slightly. "Go study JoJo, I'm going to read some."  
I pull out my book from the front seat pocket as Josie puts her earbud back in and turns to her computer screen. She bites her lip slightly before attempting to shake off her embarrassment from the compliment and zoning in on her work.  
I managed to nod off a time or two more between reading before we touched down. Every time I would wake, Josie would look over from her computer and smile.  
We get off the plane and make our way to baggage claim where Mom said she would meet us. Josie and I walk hand in hand out of the plane terminal and past security towards the baggage claim. I spot Mom standing against the far wall by our carousel.  
Josie POV-  
"Mom!" Penelope drops my hand and runs over to her Mom. It has been almost eight months since she last saw her at Thanksgiving when she flew out for a week. They stand there for a minute rocking back and forth hugging. When Penelope steps back, she motions me closer. "Mom, this is Josie." Mrs. Park opens her arms to pull me in for a hug. She whispers into my ear, "It is so nice to finally meet you, sweetie."  
Our baggage arrives shortly then we all pile into Mrs. Park's car. "How was your flight?" Penelope reaches her hand back from the front passenger seat to rest on my leg behind her. "It wasn't bad, very little turbulence." Mrs. Park looks back at me and smiles before making small chit chat with us the rest of the way home.  
Their neighborhood is very homey. There isn't a ton of space on the lots and between houses but each of the houses is unique. Penelope hands me my suitcase out of the back of the car as I continue to look around at each of the surrounding homes. I hear her voice in my head, "Come on, babe. Let's head inside." Penelope places her hand on the small of my back guiding me around the car and into the house.  
Mrs. Park gives me a tour of the small three bedroom house while Penelope places our bags in her old room. "And last but not least, here is Penelope's room." Mrs. Park turns on the light and lets me step into the room. There is a queen size bed pressed into the corner of the room against the farthest wall and a desk with a window to the left of the bed. The bathroom and walk in closet are on the closest wall walking into the room. The walls are a grey blue color that works well with her white bedding set.  
"Do you like it?" Penelope comes walking into the room after us as I look around. "It's just you. This entire bedroom." I pull aside the curtains on the window over the desk to see the small fenced in backyard. "Well, I am going to get dinner ready for us. Go ahead and get cleaned up. It'll be ready in an hour." Mrs. Park shuts the door behind her as she leaves.  
Penelope has a couple pictures in frames on her wall by her desk. There is one with her Mom, one of her as a young girl, and one of us. "Did your Mom touch your room after you left?" Penelope moves behind me as I continue looking at the pictures. She wraps her arms around my waist and rests her chin on my shoulder. "No, nothing has changed in here."  
I turn around in her arms to look at her.  
"You had a picture of us up on your wall the entire time you were here? No wonder you couldn't move on, babe." Penelope shrugs her shoulders. "It is one of my favorite pictures of us together. We took it on one of our very first dates. It just reminded me that I was trying to do everything for you. I know I went about it the wrong way but," Penelope takes my hand and spins me out of her arms before carefully pulling me back into her, her hands on my waist and mine behind her neck. A silent song plays in both of our heads that we continue swaying back and forth to. "I never stopped thinking about you. Hope would give me updates but if anything it only made it worse."  
I look over her shoulder by the closet doors and see what looks to be a small hole in the wall. I step back and walk over to it, leaving Penelope confused. "What is this, Penny?" I point to the small hole about a foot off the floor. "Um, the day before I flew back to you, I listened to Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer. I saw that you kept listening to it on Spotify and so I played it. I just didn't realize how broken you still were all because of me. This was also after Hope sent me the picture of you sleeping with my hoodie."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie points back to the hole. "And how did this happen?" I run my fingers through my hair before answering. "Remember how I needed a new phone a couple weeks after I got back? I threw my phone at the wall after seeing that picture of you and hearing that song. I had a mild panic attack and then went for a run. My phone was barely holding on after it hit the wall. That is what the hole is from."  
Josie stands back up from her kneeling position and takes my hand. "Look at how far you have come since then, Penny." Josie leans forward and places her forehead on mine. We stand there for a minute, our minds mostly silent. "If you could do it over, would you change anything?" Josie places her hand against my cheek and lowers it down to my neck for my attention. I tug on her arm to pull her against me. "I wouldn't have left you."  
We take a quick shower together before walking back out into the kitchen around six o'clock. Mom comes walking into the kitchen through the back porch doors as we walk in. "Sorry, dinner will be ready in a minute!" She slips her phone back into her back pocket as she grabs plates out of the kitchen cabinets.  
Josie and I set the table with silverware, drinks, and napkins while Mom plates the food. Our little four person table is perfect. Mom and Josie sit at opposite ends while I sit between them.  
We all were clearly hungry. Almost no words were spoken until halfway through dinner. "This is really good, Mrs. Park. Thank you." Mom nods her head as she swallows. "Of course, Josie. I am glad you like it."  
Josie has been listening to the main thought rolling around my head since we walked into the kitchen. "So Mom, who were you on the phone with?" She raises her glass of water to her lips to maybe see if I'll change the subject. Normally, I wouldn't question a random call at night, her job requires her to answer the phone at random hours sometimes, but she seems off. "Mom?" She sets her glass back down onto the table and fiddles with the napkin in her lap.  
"You father called." There it is. My whole body tenses up at the mention of him. Josie cocks her head slightly at my reaction but none the less reaches her hand under the table and grabs mine. "What did he want?"  
This is why Mom seemed so uncomfortable. If only I hadn't been tuning out their phone call. "He is going to be here in town for a couple days on business and wanted to see us. I told him he may stay here." I don't even know what to say. I set my fork down and drop Josie's hand before pushing out my chair and walking out of the room.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope pushes back from the table and drops my hand before walking out of the kitchen. She has never really talked about her father to me. Mrs. Park puts her head in her hands as I place my napkin next to my plate and follow my fiancée out.  
I walk into Penelope's room to see her sitting at the foot of her bed on the floor. I shut the door behind me and sit down next to her, waiting for her to open up. She reaches over and interlocks our fingers resting them in her lap. "I never thought I'd have to see him again."  
Her thoughts are too jumbled to narrow in on any specific thing she is thinking, but she continues speaking. "He just, he left us. He chose his job over us. I don't know why my Mom ever stayed married to him but I made it clear I didn't want him in my life after that. Of course he shows up now, right now when my life has come together. I got the girl of my dreams and a future career path I'm going to love. He probably doesn't know about any of it, of you, that I'm a hybrid..we only told Mom."  
I rub my thumb back and forth over the back of her hand as she fiddles with the engagement ring on my finger. "Could we go for a run?" Her voice is softer than usual. Running was her coping mechanism all those years ago and still to this day. When she needs out, she goes for a run. "I can come too?" She nods her head. I slowly push myself off the ground nonchalantly until I get to my feet, "Race you!"  
Penelope vamp speeds around the room in 2 seconds to be fully changed into her yoga pants and a tank top. "No fair, you used vamp speed!" Penelope's fills the room as she smiles at me. "Here," she throws me my clothes and I do my best to change quickly. We walk out of her room and down the hall. "Where are we running tonight?" Penelope takes my hand and guides me out the front door. "Anywhere but here."  
Penelope POV-  
The street lights are placed just perfectly to give just enough light to run on the sidewalks. I slowed down on my normal pace so that Josie can keep up. We run mostly in vocal silence, but our heads continue sending thoughts back and forth.  
"When do you think he gets here? How long is he staying?" Josie places her hand on my arm to stop me. We have run about three miles at this point. Her voice seems loud in the quiet night. "We can ask your Mom when we get back but there is no sense worrying about it right now, Penny." She grabs my hand and begins walking with me slowly down the sidewalk, our hands swinging between us.  
"Why would he want to see us though?" Josie keeps looking straight ahead as I turn to see a reaction. "You're his daughter, his only daughter. He clearly still cares, babe. Try to give him a chance. If you don't want to be there after seeing him, we can go find a hotel to stay in till he leaves." I roll my head cracking my neck. My entire body is tense. "Okay, JoJo."  
We continue our walk back to the house rather slowly. We are probably a half mile away when I hear some new footsteps, multiple. They don't have human blood.  
I talk in our heads. "Jo, I'm going to pick you up. Hold on." Josie cocks her head as she turns to look at me. "What?" I vamp speed to pick her up and throw her over my shoulder before taking off towards the house.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope takes off running with me over her shoulder. I try to hold onto her waist to limit some of the bounce. I don't know what is happening. I can feel her hold on me shift as we are shoved forward violently. The world quickly begins to tilt. It seems like slow motion as she begins to readjust her grip on me. "Hold on, JoJo!" All of Penelope's muscles tighten up as she wraps her arms around my head and back to hold me tight against her as we fly through the air and then hit the ground. One of her legs at one point wrapped around mine. I'm pinned completely to her. She doesn't loosen up until we stop moving completely.  
The world has stopped spinning but my heart is racing. I can feel it pulsing through my head. "Fuck that hurts." Penelope has her eyes squinted shut and her teeth clentched as she finally lets go of me. I roll off of her and sit down on the road under one of the street lights completely unharmed. "Are you okay, Pen? What was that?" I place my hand on her chest waiting for a response.  
"Well, well. What do we have here? A witch by the smell of it. Why didn't you want to share vamp?" Four individuals step forward out of the darkness, the veins under their eyes ripple. They don't look to be more than eighteen. Pretty young to have been changed.  
Penelope grabs my hand with hers and pushes herself off the ground. She very quickly moves me behind her, one arm wrapped firmly around my waist keeping me flush against her. Her tank top and entire back are shredded and bleeding. She winces slightly clearly trying to hide the pain she is in as her adrenaline slows down. I place my hand on Penelope's lower back gently to secretly siphon some energy just in case we need it.  
"I don't think you know who you just attacked." The four vampires' eyes go wide. I hear the slight split of her gums as her teeth cut through. "Woah, what are you?" Penelope gives it a second to settle in. The girl to the far right takes a step back and begins to mumble. Her buddies turn to look at her. "Gold eyes and vampire teeth...I, I thought they didn't exist any more...I've only heard stories..." They all begin to take a couple steps back. The main guy speaks up, "Spit it out, Alex." The girl gulps before managing to cough it out. "She's a hybrid."  
The previous confidence they all had completly melts away. Penelope's grip on my waist doesn't falter once. "Now that that is settled. You have three seconds to leave before you get bit by a werewolf and die a painful death. And if I ever hear of the four of you attacking another magical individual like this again, I will track you down and bring a buddy of mine, Hope Mikaelson." All four of them scramble to leave immediately at the mention of a Mikaelson. Within seconds, they are gone.  
Penelope's strong demeanor crumbles after they leave. Her grip on my shirt fades as her hands begin to shake. Her back is completely ripped up from the road. "Come on, babe. We need to get you home."  
Penelope POV-  
Fucking newbie vampires. Atleast werewolves can smell that I have claimed Josie. Vampires only smell the magical human blood. I am just glad that it was over quick.  
Josie helps me get the rest of the way back to the house. She pushes open the front door only to find Mom waiting for us. "What the hell happened? Where did you go?" Mom guides us into the kitchen and pulls up a chair for me to sit. I don't say anything.  
Josie's voice cuts through my head. "Pen, we need to pull off your shirt and bra." I do my best to help by lifting my arms, but my back got shredded and road rashed thanks to that vampire body slamming me into the road so Josie has to help me. She does her best to lightly place her hands on my back after we get my shirt off but I still wince again at the contact.  
"I'm just going to siphon a little magic then I'll heal these okay?"  
I sit completely shirtless in the kitchen. Mom is standing against the kitchen cabinet watching the two of us. She knows Josie is the stronger witch. It is better to just let her heal me. The slight tingle of the siphoning is masked by the pain until I can feel the cuts slowly heal back together.  
It would have taken longer for my body to grow new skin and close the wounds without Josie's help.  
"There," Josie lifts her hands off my back and grabs a damp towel from Mom to wipe off some of the dried blood on my skin. She grabs me one of my shirts from the bedroom for me to slip on when she is done. Mom takes a step closer pushing off the counter, "So, care to explain what happened?"  
Josie recounts the incident for Mom while I get a glass of water and sit back down in my chair. When she finishes I turn to Mom. "Now here we are. I threatened them. It shouldn't happen again. It's nothing." Mom looks pissed. "The part of our coven located here in Belgium always alerts us to new vampires and wolves. I knew they were going to be trouble. They are only a couple months old now. They don't know manners and they are apart of a group that has no rules. I'm sorry, I should have warned you. I'll talk to the coven tomorrow about what happened."  
Josie places her hand on my shoulder and lightly squeezes as Mom types away on her phone for a minute. She speaks in my head, "Talk to her about your Dad. I'm going to go get ready for bed." Josie looks back at us over her shoulder once more before continuing to our room.  
"You said Josie wants to be a doctor?" I drop my attention from the hallway as Mom sets her phone back down on the counter. "Yeah, she does." Mom folds her arms over her chest, a small smirk forms on her lips. "She has a calling for it." My fingers gravitate towards the seam on the bottom of my shirt. I run my finger back and forth over the stitching. "Well, she has patched me up quite a few times. She's had some practice." Mom and I both end up laughing at that. "You have always handled pain really well."  
We both quiet down and end up avoiding eye contact knowing the inevitable conversation is about to happen. There normally isn't this weird tension between us. I spin in my seat slightly to face Mom but she stops me right as I am about to speak, her hand raised. "Penelope, I know what you want. You want to know about your father, right?" I nod my head.  
Mom pulls up a chair so she can sit across from me. "What do you want to know?" My leg is bouncing up and down as I figure out how to word my next question. "Why have you allowed him to still be in our lives when he never puts us first?"  
This question has plagued me all night. "Penelope, your father," She hesistates before she continues. "Yes, he was busy with his job but he was around. You just always hated when he would leave. Any time he was home, you were constantly making rude comments and distant. It got to the point that you would just hide in your room when he was home." I shake my head a little back and forth. "I, I don't remember that."  
Mom fiddles with the ring on her finger. "I know you don't. You were so caught up in the fact that he kept leaving for work that you couldn't see past it. You had your breaking point when you were home one summer when you were around thirteen. You said you didn't want him in your life anymore. He stopped coming around when you were home after that. He didn't want to upset you."  
I open my mouth to speak but no words come out. "He has been wanting to try and see you again since you moved to Belgium with me but his job kept him in the states. He finally convinced them to move him out here when you decided to go back to school to see Josie." Mom looks sympathetic. He has been trying all along. I was the one who pushed him away. Just like I pushed Josie away.  
We sit in silence for a while neither one of us talking. "He misses you, Penelope. That is why he wants to see us, see you." My eyes begin to water a little, a single tear makes its way down my cheek before I wipe my eyes.  
"Does he know about," I pause. She knows what I am asking. "He doesn't know you are a hybrid, but he does know about Josie. He is happy for you. He always asks about both of you." I rub my hands up and down my thighs nervously. "He wants to see us?" Mom nods her head. "He'll get here the day after tomorrow. He says he can stay four days and potentially more if you want him to. He is leaving it completely up to you." I nod my head before standing up slowly.  
"Thank you, Mom." I drag my chair back to the table and turn to face her. She stands up and opens her arms slightly inviting me in for a hug. I quickly step into her embrace and wrap my arms around her back. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize."  
"You have always been strong willed, Penelope. You fight fiercly to protect Josie and your friends. You put yourself in harms way to keep them safe. You have always been like that, just like your father. It will make you an amazing Mom one day. You just need to remember to stop and communicate. Don't stay in your head." I think I surprise Mom by letting out a chuckle.  
"Jo has had me working on it with her. I am better than I used to be." Now it is Mom's turn to laugh. "She is good for you, Penelope. Don't let your stubborness let her get away." I hug Mom once more before turning towards the hallway. "I won't."  
Josie POV-  
Penelope steps into the bedroom doorway about thirty minutes after I left as I am crawling into bed for the night. I press my back against the head board waiting for her to come fully into the room. The side table light is the only light on in the room. "Hey Penny," Penelope shuts the bedroom door behind her before crashing on top of me resting her head on my stomach. She wraps her arms around my waist. "Hi JoJo," I love when she is cuddly like this. She knows my love language is touch and attention but I think secretly, hers are too.  
I run my fingers through her hair slowly giving her the chance to talk to me if she choses. There is very little noise in the room except the fan spinning around on the ceiling that I can hear. Penelope takes in a small gasp of air before speaking. "So he gets here in two days. He's planning on staying at least four days is what Mom said." Penelope nuzzles her head into me more. "And he doesn't know I am not a witch anymore." There it is.  
"Your Mom didn't tell him?" Penelope nuzzles her chin against my neck. "No," she pauses as she lets out a small sigh, "She said it wasn't her place to tell and only the coven elders know so no one would have told him." Her grip on me tightens just enough to be noticeable as her mind speaks for her. "I hope he reacts okay to it."  
I grab onto her arms and pull her up next to me before turning the light off. I wrap my arms around her shoulders keeping her held against me. I know she just needs the comfort after our chaotic night. We don't need words. She knows that no matter what, she has me. For the first time in a while, Penelope falls asleep first. Her breathes become shallower as she snuggles into me. My girl. Always taking the weight of the world on her shoulders. I lean my head forward and kiss the top of her head before shutting my eyes and falling asleep.  
Penelope POV-  
I roll over in the middle of the night to see Josie jerking in her sleep. I push myself up onto my arm and place my hand across her chest. "JoJo, wake up." She reaches over eyes clentched shut and grabs my arm with her hand. The glow of her siphoning fills the room with a red light. "JoJo, wake up baby."  
Josie POV-  
"I don't think you know who you just attacked.""Woah, what are you?" "Gold eyes and vampire teeth...I, I thought they didn't exist any more...I've only heard stories..." "Spit it out, Alex." "She's a hybrid."  
Penelope's back is all cut up, shredded. She's in so much pain. I need to siphon so I can protect us.  
They finally leave. Penelope crumbles. I have to take care of her. I have to.  
Penelope POV-  
"JoJo, it is just a dream. Wake up. Come back to me." Her grip on my arm doesn't change.  
Josie POV-  
"Talk to her about your Dad. I'm going to go get ready for bed." Is this real?  
"Yes, he was busy with his job but he was around. You just always hated when he would leave."  
"You said you didn't want him in your life anymore. He stopped coming around when you were home after that. He didn't want to upset you."  
"He misses you, Penelope. That is why he wants to see us, see you."  
"He doesn't know you are a hybrid, but he does know about Josie. He is happy for you. He always asks about both of you."  
"You have always been strong willed, Penelope. You fight fiercly to protect Josie and your friends. You put yourself in harms way to keep them safe. You have always been like that, just like your father. It will make you an amazing Mom one day. You just need to remember to stop and communicate. Don't stay in your head."  
"She is good for you, Penelope. Don't let your stubborness let her get away."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie jerks awake and sits up. She grabs ahold of my leg to help ground her. "JoJo, it's okay. It was just a dream." I scratch her back with my hand as she calms her breathing. "Come here, baby." She turns over her shoulder to look at me. She looks confused.  
"I think I saw the conversation you had with your Mom last night." She did siphon from me. Maybe because she was dreaming she was able to use her magic to change her dream and she latched onto my memory. "I am so sorry. I wasn't trying to intrude. That was a private conversation and," Josie is completely flustered. "JoJo, come here."  
She drops her back down onto the bed but waits for me to pull her to me. "It is okay. Tell me what happened." I am still resting on my arm on my side as Josie looks to the ceiling. She locks her fingers together with mine.  
"I was reliving last night. The vampires attacking us. I reheard the conversation then my brain told me to siphon and then my dream shifted. I told you to talk to your Mom about your Dad then," she hesitates to continue.  
"It's okay, JoJo. It is good you heard the conversation." She looks over at me for reassurance before continuing. "Did your Dad really stop coming around because you kept getting mad he would leave?" I nod my head. "That's what Mom said. Apparently, he would still visit her just not when I was home."  
We both stay silent for a minute until Josie rolls onto her side and curls up into my chest. "You did exactly what your Dad did. What he thought was right, when you left me." I wrap my arms tightly around my girl. "Yes, I did."  
I can feel her breaths push through my shirt. "You're more alike than you would probably like to admit and your Mom knows it." Josie's breathing has finally settled back to normal which helps me to relax. I talk in our heads. "I know. And she is right. You are the best thing to ever happen to me." Josie nuzzles into my chest. I can feel her smile forming against my skin. "I know."  
Penelope POV-  
I take Josie around town to show her the school I went to for those twoish months, our local restaurant Mom and I would eat at every Sunday morning, and my favorite place to go for quiet.  
"Pen, this is beautiful," Josie is standing on the secluded dock looking out at the water. "How did you find this place? You always find these kinds of places."  
Josie sits down on the edge of the wood and hangs her feet over the water. "I was out for a late night drive one night. I happened to catch a glimpse of the trail and checked it out. I've been coming here ever since." I lower myself down next to Josie and reach over to grab her hand.  
I tuck my head and watch as Josie kicks her feet barely above the water. She lifts her head to look at me. "Care to share what you are thinking about?" Josie's face is radiating in the sunlight. I give her hand a quick squeeze. "Marrying you."  
Josie POV-  
Penelope has a huge cheesy grin on her face. "What about it, Pen?" She rubs her thumb back and forth across my hand. "Well, when do you want to get married? What do you want? I just want it to be perfect for you." I don't know how I could ever consider her selfish with the way she treats me. "Perfect for us, babe."  
She nods her head a couple times. "Yes, but I don't care as long as I have you next to me." I roll my eyes a little before scooting back facing Penelope, legs crossed in front of me. Penelope scoots back and matches me.  
"You're telling me you are going to give no opinions? You're going to make me plan this entire thing by myself?" I know the guilt trip it working. I just want her to tell me what she wants too. Penelope looks like she just got the wind knocked out of her. "No, no, of course not Jo. I just-," I manage to cut her off mid ramble as she reaches forward for my hands.  
"Let your mind tell me. I'm going to list some things and we'll see what your brain says." Penelope nods her head and closes her eyes waiting for me to speak.  
"Month." Her brain shoots back an answer immediately. She didn't have to think about it. "March." Her lips part slightly as she opens her eyes to look at me. "Date." This is the hardest part, just setting the date. We will have enough help from our friends and family to make our perfect wedding. We just need the date.  
Her brain takes a slight bit longer to respond back. "The 20th." Penelope is clearly waiting for my reaction. "March 20th it is."


	16. Family Breakfast

Josie POV-  
We head back to the house and eat dinner with Mrs. Park before calling it a night early. Penelope pulls out her computer then opens Netflix for us to choose a movie. "Go ahead, JoJo." She points the screen towards me before lifting her hands off the keys giving me full control. We end up watching some sappy chic flick that leaves me in tears and Penelope holding back tears.  
I reach forward and shut the computer screen when the movie is over then lean back into Penelope's arm. This is our happy place. Laying here with each other in peace, no distractions.  
Penelope whispers my name into my ear softly interrupting my thoughts. "What Penny?" She rests her chin on my shoulder and looks up at me with huge puppy dog eyes. "You know what we haven't done since we got here?" I know exactly what she is thinking about.  
"Pen, your Mom is literally in the other room." Penelope gets that look on her face as she pulls back her arm from behind me and crawls around then over my legs. "Come on, you could silence the room. She wouldn't know." She settles over my legs with her knees pressed into the bed. She looks down at me slightly as she slowly moves her face closer to mine.  
Her hands rest gently on my hips keeping her balanced on top of me. "Please," I know she can hear my heartbeat picking up speed. She knows me too well to know I want this too otherwise she wouldn't push. She drops her chin down then trails kisses up my neck. Each one sending a new round of chills throughout my entire, eager body. Her hands move under the hem of my shirt and begin to trace their way up my sides.  
My hips begin to lift, subconsciously attempting to get closer to her. There is too much space between us, too much clothing. "Penny," My voice comes out needy and soft. A weakness that only she has seen. She pulls back and pauses. "I can stop, babe. We don't have to." I lift my hand up between us and place it on the center of her chest. It begins to glow red as I siphon some magic. "Lock the door."  
Penelope POV-  
I wake up before Josie and quietly make my way out to the kitchen to make us coffee. Mom is sitting at the dining room table reading something on her phone and sipping her coffee. "Have fun last night?" Mom doesn't make eye contact with me and keeps her eyes locked on her phone.  
"Yeah, Josie picked this chic flick out that we watched then we went to bed." Mom nods her head slowly and takes another sip of coffee before locking eyes with me. "You never go to bed early." I think I know what she is trying to hint at.  
"Mom, I am technically twenty one. We don't need to have this conversation." She sets her phone down and laughs. "Actually, you're permanently stuck at seventeen."  
I roll my eyes as I grab two mugs out of the cupboard and pour coffee into them. "I'm glad she makes you happy. That's what gave it away. You have an extra pip in your step this morning and you just confirmed it." I lift the cups off the counter and whisper at her. "Don't tell Josie you know. She'd kill me."  
She pinches her fingers together and moves them across her lips like a zipper before picking her phone back up and continuing her morning routine with a smug smirk on her face. "By the way, your father will get here in an hour." I nod my head and turn back down the hallway coffee in hand.  
"JoJo," I walk into the bedroom and sit down on Josie's side of the bed. "I brought caffeine." She perks up at this. "Mmm, thank you." She takes the mug from my hand after sitting up and holds it tight in her hands in front of her.  
It takes her a minute but she eventually speaks. "What time is your Dad getting here?" I can tell she is finally waking up. She isn't squinting anymore but her hair is sticking out in all directions. "About an hour."  
This gets her moving. "An hour? I have to shower and get ready!" She sets her cup down on the side table and moves across the room to her suitcase. She starts digging around in it pulling out different things each time. I watch in partial amusement at her panic before stopping her.  
"JoJo, you aren't meeting the queen." I catch her hand on her way into the bathroom. "JoJo," Josie finally stops moving and makes eye contact with me. "You look beautiful the way you are now. You don't have to get all dressed up."  
She tries to pull her hand back by putting all her weight into it. "This is the first time your Dad is meeting me. I have to make a good first impression." I finally drop her hand and let her go into the bathroom. She shoots me a cute smile and a wink before shutting the door. I know she is worried about meeting him. She feeds off of my nervous energy about it. I wait to hear her turn her music on and start singing before getting ready myself.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope comes into the bathroom as I am finishing up the last touches to my makeup. She wraps her arms around my waist and leans into me. "Hi Penny," she tucks her head into my neck for a moment before opening her eyes to look at me in the mirror. "You look really pretty, JoJo." She never fails to bring a smile to my face.  
"Thank you," we stand there a minute rocking back and forth until I can feel Penelope tense up suddenly. "What's wrong?" She drops her hands and takes a small step backwards as I turn around to face her. Her jaw drops open slightly before she answers barely above a whisper, "He's here."  
Penelope POV-  
Josie extends her hand for me to take. "Come on, we'll do this together." I lock our fingers together and follow her out of the bathroom and our room.  
We walk slowly down the hallway with Josie nearly dragging me. "Babe, it's going to be okay. Come on." I stop shuffling my feet and pick up the pace to match my girl.  
We walk into the kitchen to see Mom making a cup of coffee. Dad is sitting at the table appearing to be nervously picking at his finger nails. His suitcase is sitting by the front door. "Hey Dad," he shoots up out of his chair nearly tipping it over. "Penelope! Hi."  
Silence fills the small room. It feels like if I step any closer the tension building will snap. Josie gives my hand a small reassuring squeeze next to me. "How have you been?" His voice sounds more gruff than I remember. "I am doing okay." He turns to look at Josie next. "And you must be Josie. I've heard so much about you from Alyce." Dad looks briefly to Mom for some sort of comfort. "It is nice to meet you, Mr. Park." My girl. Always so polite.  
"Well, breakfast is ready. Why don't we all sit down to eat?" Mom starts bringing plates over to the table and gives me an almost undetectable stern look that I recognize as the "play nice" look.  
I hesitate a moment too long and Josie notices. She lightly places her hand on the small of my back nudging me forward. I sit down at the head of the table followed by Josie to my right, Mom to my left, and Dad across from me.  
Josie places her hand on my knee under the table for a moment to catch my attention. She speaks in our heads, "Ask him about his job or what he has been doing. Initiate conversation." I get the same stern look from Josie as my warning, the same look my Mom just gave me. They both know me too well.  
I do my best to unclench my jaw and relax it as I come up with something to ask. "So Dad, how is you job going? Travel anywhere cool lately?" He immediately appears to brighten up at my conversation starter. "Well, I got to go to England last month and I am headed to Australia for a quick trip in a couple weeks." The meal continues on with small talk and the tension that was felt when I first entered the kitchen quickly begins to fade.  
"So Josie, tell me about school. Alyce said you want to be a doctor?" I can tell Josie was waiting for this question. "Well I am currently working on my med school application but I have a couple of schools in mind that I want to apply to. I personally would love to go into pediatrics I think for my specialty." I reach across the top of the table to grab Josie's hand. I love that she is so passionate about what she wants to do with her life.  
"Penelope, your mother mentioned you are majoring in english? What do you want to do with it?" Dad's confidence diminishes every time he directs a question to me. He is clearly trying to tread lightly. "I want to write, fiction preferably. I have already had a couple small pieces place in some fiction writing competitions. Plus, I can write wherever so I can move with Josie to whatever hospital she gets a job at."  
I know Dad always wanted me to chose a major with a promising future that can guarantee a job but he seems okay with this. Even the fact that I want to follow Josie in her career path. "You seem to have everything figured out. I would love to read some of your work sometime." I nod my head a couple times baffled by his levelheadedness. "Of course. I can send you some."  
Josie and I stand up to clear the table leaving Mom and Dad in their seats. We begin a silent conversation in our heads once we enter the kitchen and turn our backs to them. "It seems to be going well, Penny." I rinse off our plates before handing them to Josie so she can place them in the dishwasher. "I can't believe how calm he has been about everything." Josie shuts the dishwasher and turns around to lean her back on the counter.  
I step closer to her and lean my back on the counter next to her. Mom and Dad are completely enveloped in their own little hushed conversation. They reach out for each others' hand to hold as they continue talking. I can't help but to zone in on their conversation.  
"See? It is going well." Mom's thumb rubs back and forth against the back of Dad's hand.  
"I know. I just don't want to upset her, Alyce. This is real progress." Mom cocks her head to the side slightly. "Arlo, she is not a child any more. She is in college and has a fiancee." Dad nods his head up and down a tiny bit contemplating something.  
Josie taps my arm lightly to get my attention. I zone out of their conversation. "What are they saying? I know you were listening. You have too many thoughts swirling around in your head though for me to pick it out." I turn to look at her confused. "How did you know-?" She interlocks her arm with mine to pull me closer to her. "You get a certain look on your face when you tune into a conversation. It's cute."  
I lean forward and kiss her forehead softly causing her to smile. "It was a similar conversation to what we just had. Talking about how it is going good so far and that I am not a child anymore."  
Josie nods her head back in my parents direction to get my attention. I turn my head to see Dad and Mom come walking into the kitchen.  
"So, I think I need some more caffeine and would love to take a drive in this nice weather. Would either of you like to make a coffee run with me?" I don't know if I am ready for one on one time yet. I haven't seen Dad in years and we have only been talking with Josie and Mom in the room with us, no alone time. Plus, I am not ready to tell him that I died and am now a hybrid. "Um, I think I am okay for now."  
I can feel Josie physically cringe at my rejection towards him but she recovers quickly. "I will go with you." I turn my head to look back at her to see if I heard her correctly. "Really? That would be perfect. I always love company in the car." Josie pushes off from the counter and steps forward leaving me still leaning on the counter. "And I love coffee."  
Dad swings his car keys around his finger once, a nervous tell he has had since I could remember. "Alright, well, let's go." Josie begins to follow him out but stops briefly to lock eyes with me in the kitchen doorway leading to the entryway. I can hear Dad unlocking the front door. Josie's voice fills my head. "Behave Penny, I love you." I shift my weight between my feet for a moment rethinking my decision to stay here but my head wins and I don't move. "I love you too."


	17. Not Another Fight

Penelope POV-  
My eyes stay locked onto the doorway where Josie last stood. I listen for the start of the car and the whirring sound that is followed by the windows rolling down. The car shifts out of park and into reverse with a small click of the gears. I can hear Josie's foot-tapping lightly along the rubber floor mats. The tires rub against the driveway then switch to the asphalt as Dad's car backs out and begins to drive away from the house.  
"I can't believe you let Josie go with him alone, with how protective you are." I have to remind myself to unclench my jaw as I finally drop my eyes from the doorway. Mom is standing with her hand on her hip staring me down. "She is her own person. She can do what she wants." I don't wait for an answer from her. I turn on my heel and walk towards my room.  
I shut the door behind me and fall back against it. I close my eyes and try to focus in on Josie's thoughts. "Is everything okay, JoJo?" My girl quickly responds. "Yes Penny, don't worry. Do you actually want anything?" I run my fingers up and down the wood grain of the door following the slight swirl pattern attempting to slow my breathing down. "I guess my usual if Dad offers." Why is this stressing me out so much? I need to calm down. I'm just overwhelmed. "Okay, babe."  
I let out the breath of air I was holding. I can feel the tension begin to dissipate after finishing the conversation with Josie, knowing that she is okay.  
When I open my eyes, I take in the state of our room. Josie's suitcase is covered with her own clothes after many "failed" outfits were tossed to the side, none worthy of meeting my father. We have a couple of pairs of shoes kicked at the foot of the unmade bed as well.  
I walk into the bathroom to find the straightener still sitting on the counter along with Josie's makeup and hairbrush. The shower curtain is pushed to the side leaving the tub exposed. Josie will inevitably want to discuss my reaction from earlier so maybe cleaning up will give me some brownie points.  
It doesn't take me long to straighten the bathroom, make the bed, and organize our shoes by the door. "There, now let me just,-" I bend down and lift Josie's suitcase onto the bed. The closet is mostly empty except for a couple of t-shirts and a spare hoodie I left in here when I traveled back to the United States.  
I grab the extra hangers and start hanging Josie's clothes up in the closet since we still have another week and a half here. It'll make it easier for her to find an outfit later.  
I have only a couple of tops left to hang when I notice a shoebox on the top shelf of the closet. I don't remember this being here when I lived here. I carefully pull it down and set it onto the bed. It is not that heavy but something definitely slides around the box when I move it. I flip open the top to find it full of paper.  
There is a knock on my bedroom door interrupting my snooping before Mom pops her head inside the door. "Hey, I was just coming to check on you." I shut the lid back on the box and turn towards her. "Mom?" I seem to catch her off guard as she pushes open the door more. "Yes, honey?" I lift the box off the bed with one hand and hold it in the air. "What is this?"  
Josie POV-  
Mr. Park turns on the radio as we pull out of the neighborhood leaving us in comfortable vocal silence. I can tell he is tense by the way he is clutching the wheel though. I try to not focus on the fact that this is Penelope's dad to keep me calm. I don't want to add to his stress.  
Mr. Park seems to know his way around town as he makes turn after turn. I push my sleeve up to scratch at my arm after a moment and notice Mr. Park glance over. "A letter P? Is that for Penelope?" I look down at my wrist and rub my thumb over the letter lightly. "Yes, in high school we had to create a tattoo with a spell that benefits us in some way. We created a shared mind spell. Penelope has a J on her wrist."  
He nods his head along. "So, you can hear each other's thoughts?" He seems pretty interested. "Yes. We also can communicate. All magic has a side effect to balance it and this one is that we just can't filter our thoughts. It basically is constant noise but direct talking becomes louder. We can also tune into certain thoughts when we focus on them. It definitely took us a while to get used to." We both start laughing. This conversation helped loosen us both up. His grip on the steering wheel loosened and his shoulders dropped.  
"Who struggled to adjust to that the most?" I look over at Mr. Park as he turns the wheel to the right to pull into the parking lot of the coffee shop. Penelope has his dark hair. Their matching hazel eyes both reveal their emotions more than they ever share vocally. "Penelope did." He throws the car into park and turns off the engine after rolling the windows back up. "She is definitely more like me than I think she'll admit to." I nod my head agreeing. "I've noticed."  
We go inside and Mr. Park orders a coffee for him and Mrs. Park. "Josie," he clears his throat before continuing, "Do you, um, know something that Penelope would like?" I nod my head. "I'll order her usual." He seems to visibly relax after that. I know he doesn't want her to feel left out.  
We stand over by one of the tables close to the pickup counter after all four drinks are ordered to wait. "Have you guys settled on a wedding date yet?" He looks down at the ring on my finger, the one I am constantly fiddling with. "March 20th, it is at the beginning of our spring break for our senior years so we can go on our honeymoon the rest of the break." Our conversation is cut short as our names are called for the drinks. I grab Penelope's and mine as he grabs Mrs. Park's and his. As we step back outside and walk to his car, he pipes up. "That sounds like a great plan, for the wedding, by the way." I silently thank him as we climb back into the car and organize our drinks. "It was your daughter's idea."  
Penelope POV-  
Mom seems confused until recognition fills her face a moment later. I open the lid back up on the box and start flipping through some of the paper. There are envelopes dated back a decade ago all the way up to a couple of years ago, all addressed to me.  
"Who are these from?" I open up the top letter and pull out the card inside. A dog is on the front eating cake with a party hat on. Mom stays silent I assume to let me find out for myself. She refuses to make eye contact.  
I open the card to find handwriting. "Penelope, Happy Birthday. I know I say it every year but if you ever need me or want to talk, feel free to call or text me. Enjoy your special day. Love you, Princess, Dad."  
My vision gets blurry as my eyes begin to water. That nickname. I haven't heard it in so long. I shake my head slightly as I wipe them away with the back of my hand. "Why have I never seen these?" I try to keep my voice level even though my frustration is beginning to build. "You used to not even want to read them. You would toss them in the trash after seeing who sent it. It would always start a fight. I just couldn't bear to throw them away." I shake my head back and forth slightly.  
I set the box back down on the bed with the card on top. I can feel my eyes fighting to turn gold. "I thought, I thought he didn't care. That he was off doing God knows what with no cares in the world for his family. What did you do? Just stop even telling me he sent them? This is years of mail, Mom!" I throw my hand back down to my side referencing the box of mail. "I know."  
We both sit there in silence, eyes locked onto each other. I try to calm the anger that has been building all day but I am practically shaking.  
My voice comes out soft and broken after I manage to slow my heart rate just enough to prevent more adrenaline from pumping through me. "You should have told me." My breathing is ragged still. Mom nods her head at my comment. "I know, I just never knew how to bring it up. I didn't want another fight."  
Those words repeat over and over in my head. I didn't realize how moody I had been in those years before I met Josie. We hadn't dated yet. I hadn't left to supposedly help us both. I hadn't been shot. Twice. I hadn't died. I hadn't broken down and physically collapsed in her arms dropping all walls. I hadn't lived with the love of my life. Josie helped me become the person I needed to be, the person capable of seeing past my rage towards scenarios I created in my head.  
I hear Dad's car pull into the driveway and the doors open. I wipe at my eyes once more and clear my throat before speaking. "They just got home. Is there somewhere I could go run? Like run, run?" Mom seems to catch on to what I mean. "Yeah, you can run in the woods by that pond you go and sit at. The one you took Josie to the other day." I nod my head. "Josie will probably come too."  
The front door clicks open. "You need to tell your Dad soon, honey." I shake my head again attempting to hide the gold in my eyes. I can't shut my mouth quick enough though before I lash out. "You have no right to tell me what I have to tell him when you hid this from me for so long." Mom takes a step back like I physically struck her. I can hear Josie's footsteps walking down the hallway towards us.  
I know she has been hearing my thoughts. She pushes open the door to see me standing near the bed and Mom still by the door. She looks down briefly at the bed to see the box before locking eyes with me. She is holding two drinks in her hands. My eyes flash gold quicker than a blink. "You need to run?" Josie's voice fills my head and helps me release a shaky, deep breath.  
I don't speak out loud or in our heads. I worry about what will come out. I just nod my head and take a step forward towards Josie to follow her out. "Here," Mom hands Josie her car keys. "Don't worry about Arlo. I'll give him an excuse." I set my hand lightly on Josie's lower back to help ground me as we walk down the hallway and out the front door.  
I guide Josie to the driver's side door and pull it open for her before walking over to my side. I settle into my seat and run my hands up and down my thighs nervously. My right leg is bouncing up and down. "Penny," Josie reaches over and locks her fingers together with mine applying pressure to stop my leg movement.  
Josie POV-  
Penelope's eyes flash between hazel and gold as she twitches her head to the side. I know she is fighting it. I start the car and pull out of the driveway.  
I heard Mrs. Park briefly mention the pond Penelope took me to the other day. I assume that is where we are going. Penelope's grip on my hand stays strong but not painful. That is one thing that definitely took time for her to figure out when she became a vampire then hybrid, her strength.  
I pull onto the side of the road near where we entered the woods last time. There are no cars or people around. Penelope locks eyes with me briefly as she pauses, her hand resting on the door handle to the car. "Go, Penny. I'm right behind you." There is a small rush of air as the door opens and shuts and she is gone. I take the keys out of the ignition and climb out of the car to follow, my drink in hand.  
Not fifty feet inside the woods lays a pile of shredded clothes. "Ah, Penny." I bend down and pull the pieces together. I can fix them once I can get some magic from Penelope. She and Hope both kept shredding through outfit after outfit when they would get worked up and not undress before wolfing out, so Lizzie and I designed a spell to repair their clothes.  
I hear some leaves crunch behind me. I turn around to see Penelope's black wolf flat to the ground with her head between her paws. I drop my knees to the ground and set my hands on my legs waiting for her to move but she doesn't. "Come here, Penny."  
She eventually army crawls forward until her head is hovering above my legs. She never drops her eye contact. I lift my hands off my legs and starts scratching behind her ears and between her eyes down her snout. "You haven't ripped out of your clothes in a while, babe."  
She lets out a whimper as she drops her head onto my legs and nuzzles into them. "I know, Penny." We sit there for a couple of minutes before I stop scratching. Her eyes, which finally shut, open up as she looks at me confused. "You need to go run so we can be home for dinner."  
She lets out a huff of air through her nose before dropping the full weight of her head back down on my lap. "No Penny, I need you to not do something you will regret later, so." I lift her head and scootch backward out of her grasp. "Go run, at least an hour." She and I both know she needs it. I choose a nearby tree to sit against to wait for her as she watches me. "I'll be right here." She finally stands up and moves a couple of feet away. She takes one last glance over her shoulder at me before taking off at a full sprint through the trees.  
I thankfully had a book downloaded on my phone for me to read. I text Mrs. Park from Penelope's phone about an hour after we left just to let her know that we are okay and will be back for dinner. "Okay sweetie, I'll have it ready around six. Let me know if either of you need anything."  
Penelope finally comes back and collapses down next to me. I check the time to see that she ended up running about four hours total. Every thirty minutes, she would come running by and stop to check on me. The peace and quiet was nice. I don't mind the time away from everything. We never get to go do this at home as much as I would like to because we are both so busy. Any time I have to sit down and read is always appreciated.  
I click off my phone and drape my arm across her torso. Her breathing eventually levels out. She tilts her head to look up at me before looking at her shredded pile of clothes. I siphon enough magic to do the spell and watch as Penelope changes back.  
She pulls her hoodie back over her head then offers me her hand. She helps me off the ground then pulls me into her arms for a hug. My voice comes out muffled through her hoodie. "Welcome back, baby." The smile on her face gives me butterflies as I pull back to see her. "I'm sorry. I know I haven't snapped like that in a while. Or even needed to run that long lately." She is always so apologetic for something that she doesn't have complete control over. "It was bound to happen, Penny. We've had a stressful couple of days."  
She nods her head ackowledging my comment. We link hands as she grabs my now empty coffee cup off of the ground for me. We start the walk to our car.  
"Do you feel better now?" Penelope finally looks relaxed. Her shoulders aren't tense and her movements are looser. "Yes, but now I am exhausted. I am ready for my drink now." Penelope takes the keys from me and hops into the driver's seat after opening my door for me. I can't help but laugh as she picks up her drink and sighs after taking a sip. "It's not warm anymore, babe." She shrugs her shoulders as she starts up the car. "It is still good, thank you."  
She leans across the center console and gives me a quick kiss before putting the car into drive and pulling out onto the main road. "Thank your Dad, not me." Penelope glances over at me for a moment before returning her eyes back to the road. "I will."  
Penelope POV-  
We pull up to the house right as the sun finishes setting. I turn the car off but neither of us makes any move to get out. "Are you ready, Penny?" Josie places her hand on top of mine and rubs her thumb back and forth over the back of my hand. We can see Mom and Dad's shadows moving around in the kitchen light. I turn my head to look back at my girl. "Yes, thank you, JoJo." We close the small distance between us, our lips meeting effortlessly.  
I hate doing it. I hate pulling away when I don't want to in the slightest but I hear scuffling of feet. Josie looks mildly hurt as she looks at me. "JoJo, stay in the car." She seems to recognize my change of tone and siphons a bit of magic from my hand quickly before I step out of the car.  
I move around to Josie's side of the car and face out to the street. I hear it again. Josie's car door opens as she steps out and stands next to me. "Seriously, Jo?" I knew she wouldn't stay in the car long but I'd hoped I would know what is out there before she did. I maneuver her behind me gently with one arm then close my eyes. I try to narrow in on the sound.  
"Pen," Josie lifts her arm past me and points in the direction of the far street light. A figure slowly approaches. "Is that-?" I cut Josie off by vamp running her inside the doorway of the house. "Stay, please. Don't come out of the house."  
I can hear Mom and Dad getting closer. "Josie? What is going on?" I take a couple steps away from the doorway and towards the figure. Their face finally comes into full view as they stumble across the street and stop at the foot of the driveway. It is exactly who Josie thought it was.  
Alex.  
Josie POV-  
"Alex?" She perks up at my voice. Penelope shoots a look at me over her shoulder. Her voice fills my head. "Jo, please don't leave the house. She can't enter." She turns to look back at Alex. "I won't Penny."  
Mr. Park steps up next to me in the doorway. "Penelope? What is going on?" I hold my arm out to keep him in the doorway. Alex is keeping her distance. She has one hand resting across her stomach and another in the air raised in defense. "Please, I am not here to hurt you."  
Penelope's back tenses up as Alex takes a stumble of a step forward. "Please." I look past Penelope to see that Alex's face is filled with cuts. Her eye brow is split and still bleeding down the side of her face. Her breathing seems labored.  
"Penelope, come inside." Mrs. Park's voice is ice cold. She must recognize her too or at least assumes. Alex's voice comes out rough as she grints her teeth. "I need help."  
Penelope hasn't let up an inch. I talk in our heads for the sake of privacy. "We need to help her, Penny." She shakes her head just enough for me to see. "No, we don't. She was apart of the group that attacked us." Alex's small cuts appear to be healing in front of us including the slice across her eyebrow but she doesn't let go of her stomach.  
"I wanted to come find you. They aren't good people, I know that. I don't want to be apart of that. They attempted to kill me when I tried to leave but I left before they could rip out my heart. Please, I won't hurt you." She shuffles between her feet nervously. She looks over her shoulder at the same time that Penelope cocks her head to the side clearly having heard something.  
"The rest of them are coming JoJo. We need to get inside." Alex's eyes are wide in fear. "Please, you have to help me. I just want to be better." Her voice is getting higher and more rushed.  
"Penny," I give her a small nod. She knows we can't leave her. She isn't trained. She'll be dead by morning if we do.  
Penelope walks over to Alex with no hesitation and wraps one arm around her waist to help her walk. The other vampires are getting closer. Their voices ring out in the night. "Alex, come out, come out wherever you are!"  
Mr. Park seems confused while Mrs. Park's face is filled with angry worry. "Mom, invite her in." Penelope makes it to the doorway with Alex next to her. "Penelope, I don't-," Alex lets out a scared whimper as she hears her name called out again. "Mom, invite her in!" Mrs. Park looks over Penelope's shoulder to see the group of vampires heading our way.  
Penelope readjusts her weight with Alex but cringes. "There she is guys!" Mrs. Park takes a step backwards along with Mr. Park. "Alex, please come inside!" Penelope lunges forward with Alex through the open doorway as the group of vampires sprint forward into the yard.  
I kneel down to Alex's side as Penelope gets up and moves to the doorway. "Don't forget what I told you." The vampires outside the house recognize Penelope's mixed wolf and vampire eyes quickly and vamp away with a few muttered cuss words. She steps back inside the house and shuts the door, dead bolting it. She drops her head trying to shake the veins and gold away.  
I hover my hand over the edge of Alex's shirt. "May I?" She nods her head but winces in pain. I lift her shirt up to see some pretty major bruising along her rib cage. "Alex, what happened?" If this was minor she would be mostly healed by now.  
Mr. Park interrupts us. "Actually, can I get a full explanation? Where did you actually go today? And who is this? How do you know a vampire? Why did all of the vampires outside run off that quickly?" I lower Alex's shirt and help her to sit up on the floor. Penelope barely lifts her head enough to look at me. Her eyes haven't gone back to normal yet. Her adrenaline must be pumping too hard. I speak in her head. "You have to tell him, Penny. It'll be okay." She closes her eyes and lets out a deep sigh before fiddling with her hands in front of her. She slowly lifts her head. "The reason why they ran is," His jaw drops slightly as Penelope fully lifts her head and opens her eyes revealing the black pulsating veins and her gold eyes, "Dad, I am not a witch anymore. I am a hybrid vampire werewolf."


	18. I Promise

Josie POV-  
I follow Penelope back into our room. I slip past her and take a seat on the edge of the bed, my hands press into the sheets on either side of my hips. Penelope begins pacing back and forth in front of me. Her mind is spiraling. None of her thoughts are clear enough to make sense in my head.   
"Penny, baby, come here," I lift my hands out to her waiting for her to approach me. "Jo, I just, I can't. I, I-" she starts grabbing at her shirt collar and frantically tugging on it. "I need to go for another run, I need," if she's not careful she is going to shred open her shirt. Penelope begins taking in deeper and deeper breaths. She takes a couple of steps backward until she is flush with the wall. Her eyes flash back and forth from gold to hazel.   
I push up off the bed and step closer, slowly. Her attention seems to land on everything but me. I hear the tearing of the fabric as it begins to rip. "Baby," I lightly set my hands on her forearms preventing her from continuing. Her head shoots down to look at the new contact. Her fingers are still gripping her shirt collar. "Look at me Penny, you're having a panic attack. We need to calm you down, okay?"   
Keeping contact with her skin, I trace my fingers the rest of the way up her arms. I unclench her fingers from her collar and lock them with mine. Even when she has her panic attacks, even with her super strength, she holds my hands carefully. "Match my breathing, Penny."   
I slowly drop our hands to rest between us. We are standing almost directly in the corner of the room now. "Breathe," it takes her a minute to stop fidgeting and focus on me. Her breathing begins to settle and return back to normal. I nudge my head forwards and am met with Penelope's forehead. Her words come out barely above a whisper, "Thank you, JoJo."   
I spin us around to where my back is against the wall. I slide down the paint and gesture for Penelope to sit with me. She drops to the floor and sits with her back pressed into me. I lock my hands around her body keeping her as close to me as possible. She lightly sets her hands on my arms.  
"I should maybe go for another run, JoJo." She drops her head back to rest against the side of mine on my shoulder. I tighten my grip on her body so she can feel the pressure, the security. I tilt my head to the side until my lips are resting on her ear. I want, no need, her to hear me. "It's okay to slow down and let yourself feel, Penny. Don't hold it all in."  
She lets out a shaky breath as she squeezes her eyes shut tight. A singular hot tear slips out and runs down her cheek. I pull my right hand away from her body and lift it gently to her face to wipe away the tear. "It's going to be okay, Penny. I promise."

THIRTY MINUTES EARLIER

Penelope POV-

"Dad, I am not a witch anymore. I am a hybrid vampire werewolf." 

Dad takes a half step backward before he seems to recover. "To hell you are. That's not possible! You are a witch!" Mom turns to face him and places her hand on his arm. "Arlo," he turns towards her mouth slightly gaping. "She's telling the truth."   
"You're telling me, our daughter died with vampire blood in her system? When? Why didn't anyone tell me? And your eyes, we don't have a werewolf gene! I made sure of it!" He keeps raising his voice. "You haven't exactly been in my life, Dad. And what do you mean you made sure of it?" Any previous shred of calm he had is now gone. He clenches his hands next to his sides, his knuckles turning stark white. "Because of you, Penelope! Not because of me. That is why I haven't been in your life." He doesn't comment on the other question.  
Mom steps between us blocking his view of us. Josie steps in front of me and places her hand on my chest. "Penny, try to put your fangs away." Josie scratches her fingers lightly back and forth on my chest to distract me. I tune into the slight scent of Josie's perfume and the sound of her fingers rubbing along the fabric of my shirt slowly. I can feel my fangs retract back into my mouth. "There we go, Penny. Thank you."   
Josie steps back and stands next to me, a unified front. I look down on the floor to my right to see Alex still clutching her stomach as she sits against the entryway wall. She is healing just painfully slow. She probably wasn't expecting this when she sought us out. As if she heard me, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to cause this." Josie gives my hand a quick squeeze encouraging me to speak. I turn my attention to Alex. "It was bound to happen, I am glad you sought us out. Josie and I can get you help." Alex silently nods her head thanking us.  
Mom finally steps back away from Dad and turns to me. "Penelope, why don't you and Josie explain how this happened to your father while I set Alex up in the guest bedroom? He is going to listen to what you have to say." Her voice has a more serious tone than usual. Dad is standing with his hands in his pockets, his jawline keeps twitching from clenching his teeth. I nod my head as Mom helps Alex off the ground. She talks softly just to Alex. "Come on, let's get you all settled in."  
The tension radiating between us is explosive. Neither one of us makes a move to say anything, our eyes locked onto each other. "Pen, why don't you start with explaining the attack we had at school." I know Josie is trying to help the situation since she knows neither one of us will actually initiate it ourselves. "So, um, it was junior year at the Salvatore School."  
————————————————————-  
Penelope POV-  
Dad doesn't say anything when we finish explaining. His arms are crossed against his chest and his breathing is rough. I can hear his elevated heart beat. "Now, I think it is your turn to explain what you meant when you said you handled it."  
Josie's grip on my hand hasn't lessened this entire time. Her thumb is rubbing slowly back and forth against the side of my hand. I hear her in my head, "Breathe babe, stay calm." She could hear the bite in my words to my Dad just now. I give her hand a quick squeeze in response. A slight smile breaks on Josie's face before returning to neutral pouty.   
"Penelope, I don't know what to tell you. It was a long time ago." He shifts his weight from his left foot to his right as he begins to fiddle with his shirt sleeve, his arms still crossed. "How about the truth? I deserve to know whatever it is if it relates to me." Josie steps just the slightest bit closer to me so that her shoulder rests against mine.   
"Our bloodline used to contain a werewolf gene." The silence in the hallway following his words was deafening. My brain blocked out all other sounds and zeroed in on his words. "What do you mean used to?" Dad is obviously very hesitant to continue. "What do you mean, Dad?" My voices keeps raising even with me attempting to control it.   
"My older brother, your Uncle Leo, he was attacked by a man outside a bar when you were two. The man was drunk and swung at your Uncle. When your Uncle attempted to defend himself, the man fell and hit his head on the corner of the sidewalk step leading into the bar. He bled out right there. Any charges were written off as defensive especially with the video footage the bar provided to the court showing your Uncle standing his ground. We found out two weeks later that he had the gene." I was told he died in a car accident when I was old enough to ask questions. There was a picture that was kept in our living room of him holding me as a baby.   
"He changed the night of the full moon, and he killed two of his friends who were also witches. He woke up the next morning in the woods with their bodies torn apart and he was covered in their blood. He was so distraught over what he had done that he decided to end it."  
Josie lets out a small sniffle as a single tear rolls down her cheek. The tension in the room has dropped and turned into grief, grief that Dad has been holding onto for so long. "I was the one who found them. He was supposed to meet me for coffee that morning and when he didn't show I drove out to his house. When I went out back, I found them just inside the woods line. I called my parents immediately and they came over, but they didn't even mourn."  
My words come out gruff, "What do you mean? That was their son." Dad shakes his head back and forth slightly looking at the ground ashamed. "We were raised that vampires and werewolves were not to be trusted and that they were the true villains of the supernaturals. My parents would have disowned him if they knew. My family was rare. It wasn't common to have the werewolf gene but be witches. After finding out about the gene, they called upon the head of the coven who was able to design a spell to mute the gene and hide it in our genome. The only way to activate it again would be to die with all three main magical blood types in you: witch, vampire, and werewolf. It seemed like the best plan to prevent you from triggering your gene. I gave the okay to hide the gene in your genome."  
Mom comes walking into the room and stands next to my Dad. "I got Alex all settled." Josie says a soft thank you to her followed by Mom giving her a kind nod.  
The tension in the room is building again the longer we go without speaking. "That is what I meant by I tried to handle it. I thought the chances of all three blood types ending up in your system and you dying was so slim that it was worth it. Hope was the exception. It makes sense. She might not be a vampire yet but she still has the blood in her. All three blood types." Josie seems as shocked as I do. Mom clearly was apart of the decision because she remains calm and unfazed.  
One question is gnawing at me wishing desperately to be asked. Josie's voice in my head cuts my thought, "Penelope of course he does. You're his daughter." I turn to look at her my eyes brimming with tears. "I have to know JoJo."I turn back to my Dad. I let out a shaky breath before asking, "Can you even love me like this?"  
Too much silence passes before he opens his mouth to respond. He seems to be thinking over his response a few times before the words actually leave his mouth. "I will get past it. You are my only daughter."  
———————————————————

"It's going to be okay, Penny. I promise."

Josie POV-  
She just got her Dad back into her life and now finds out about his family's hatred for vampires and werewolves. And, she found out her Uncle killed himself because of his family's beliefs. This trip was meant to be a break from our lives at home, to give us some time together with her family, but this trip has only caused her stress.  
The tears finally stopped streaming down her face. She seemed to be going numb, even her thoughts had slowed down.   
"I'm sorry about this trip, Penny. It wasn't meant to stress you out like this." Penelope adjusts herself in my grip a little bit before responding. "It needed to happen. There have been too many secrets kept from me 'for my own good'. I am just glad you're here with me." I lean my head down to kiss then outside of her neck softly. "Always Penny. I'm not going anywhere. But hey, it was time for me to take care of you. Normally, you're helping talk me off the edge of a panic or anxiety attack when I'm stressing about school or my internship. I'm just glad I get to reciprocate to thank you."  
Penelope drops her head down and lets out a chuckle before turning her head to look at me out of the corner of her eye. "I only comfort you because it means I get cuddles." My jaw drops as I fake pout at her comment. I unwrap my arms from around Penelope's body and push her away lightly. "JoJo, noooo." She rewraps my arms around her and leans back. "I do it for more than that." She interlocks our fingers together waiting on me. "I know, Penny." Both of us have actual smiles on our faces, nothing forced.  
Penelope lets out a sigh, the tension from her body begins to fade. "JoJo, can we go to bed now? It's been a long day and this floor is getting uncomfortable." I drop my arms and let her stand up. She takes my hand to help me off the floor. "Snuggle time?" Penelope puts on her best pouty face before it drops and turns into a huge grin. "Please," she takes my hand and pulls me closer to the bed. I can't help by roll my eyes at how cute she is. "Snuggle time."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comments with your thoughts. Chapters are written as I go and between work and classes but I will try to post as often as I can write!


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